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FROM   THE  LIBRARY  OF 
REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,  D.  D. 

BEQUEATHED   BY   HIM  TO 

THE   LIBRARY  OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


S^-6 
/3/S3 


^ 


PSH  OF  PMHgfy 


t    h    sef      OCT  29  1931 
BEAUT 


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9i 


*>; 


OF  THE  LATE  REVEREND 

Dr.     ISAAC     WATTS; 

CONTAINING  THE  MOST   STRIKING    AND  ADMIEED 

PASSAGES    in   the    WORKS 

OF   THAT    JUSTLY    CELEBRATED 

ZIVINE,  PHILOSOPHER,  MORALIST,  AND  POET: 

EQUALLY  CALCULATED  FO"R   THE  COMMUNICATION'   OF 

POLITE     AND    USEFUL    KNOWLEDGE, 

AND   THE    INCREASE     OF 

WISDOM    and   HAPPINESS, 

■——TO   WHICH     IS    ADDED-—— 

THE  LIFE   0F~  THE   AUTHOR. 


Printed  at    NEWBURYPOR  T,  ey 

EDMUND      M.      BLUNT,     for 
MATHEW  CAREY,  Philadelphia, 

ij0. 


CONTENTS. 

Page 


o 


A. 


!F  Fixing  the  Attention,  85 

Adoration  of  the  Almighty,  S9 

Abfence  from  God,  100 
Expediency  of  gaining  the  Affections 

of  Men,  116 

On  Argument,  122 

Advice  to  a  Young  Man,  125 

Againft  indulging  the  Angry  Pamons,  132 

Gentlenefs  of  Addrefs,  142 

On  Parental  Authority,  144* 

Advice  to  Authors,  140 

Rules  for  moderating  Anger,  i^z 

B. 

Benevolence  and  Complacence,  £$ 
Some  Parts  of  the  Bible  not  to  Be  read 

by  Children,  151 

Bills  of  Exchange  Spiritualized,  21 5 

C. 

The  Bounty  of  the  Creator,  32 
The  Church-yard,  185 
Contempt  of  the  trifles  of  this  World,  42 
Benevolence  of  the  Creator,  50 
Converfation,  69.- 
Benefit  of  converfing  with  Men  of  dif- 
ferent Parties,  &c.  78 


iv  CONTENTS. 

Page 
To  render  Converfation  inftruclive,  79 
Rules  for  correcting  Credulity  and  Con- 
tradiction, 96 
The  Influence  ofCuftom,  97 
Curiofity  to  be  encouraged  in  Young 

Perfons,  141 

On  improper  Curiofity,  158 
Cruelty  in  Children  not  to  be  encouraged,  i  60- 
Charitable    Judgment   of  our  Fefiow- 

creatures  recommended,  17; 

The  Church-yard,  38 
I>. 

A  Thought  on  Death,  39 

Prpfpe&.of  Death,  4; 

Dogmatifrrt  cenfured,  62 

Againft  hafty  Determinations,  76 

Imputation,  83 

Academical  Difputations,  a  — 

Oppofite  Duties,  ico 
Academical  Difputes  apt  to  prejudice 

the  Mind,   .  105 

Decency,  109 

Reflecting  upon  Death  recommended,  159 

Dancing  AfTemblies,  165 

E. 

Excellencies  and  Defects,  39 

Eloquence,  55 

Entrance  upon  the  World,  1 24 

Ancient  and  modern  Education,  176 

Extremes  to  be  avoided  in  Education,  181 


CONTENTS.  v 

Page 


F. 

Fear, 

74 

Unreafonable  Fear, 

G. 
The  invifible  Nature  of  God3 

75 

21 

Praife  of  God, 

25 

Grace  at  Meals, 

37 

Truft  in  the  Son  of  God, 

4t 

Perfection  of  the  Gofpel, 

44 

Gradual  Progrefs  of  the  Gofpel, 

no 

Advice  with  reipect   to  preaching  the 

Gofpel, 

IT4 

Gaming, 

i6r 

Guilt  and  Innocence, 

187 

Degrees  of  Guilt  and  PunifhmemV 

200 

PL 

The  Man  of  Humility, 

49 

Leflbn  of  Humility, 

61 

Hatred  of  our  Fellow- Creatures  reproved 

1.  72 

Degeneracy  of  Human  Nature, 

L 

Idolatry, 

199 

22 

Ideas,  Directions  concerning  them7 

29 

Arrangement  of  our  Ideas, 

52 

Verbal  Inflruction, 
Erroneous  Judgment, 
Obedience  to  the  Laws,,- 

63 

S3 

& 

Religious  Liberty, 

93 

'A   2' 

vi  CONTENTS. 

Page 
Ancient  and   Modern  Language  con- 
traded,  145 
M. 

The  Study  of  Mankind,  23 

Spiritual  and  Animal  Exigence  of  Man,  24 

Meditation,             -  63 
That  the  Support  of  Miniiiers  fliould 

be  provided  for,  9 1 
The  Duty  of  Minifters,  92 
The  Delign  of  our  Saviour's  Miniftry,  1 1 3 
Of  Strengthening  the  Memory  of  Chil- 
dren, 148- 
O. 
Superficial  Observers,  30 
Oblervation,  64 
Orthodoxy  and  Chriftianit)Y  1 1 5; 

P. 

PafTions  influenced  by  different  Situa- 

tons  in  Life,.  3^ 

To  fubdue  Piicle,  36 

The  Bleflings  of  Prayer,  60 

Prejudices  contrafled,  94 

Heriditary  Prejudices,  99. 

Liberty  of  Prayer,  1 1  3 

Why  Parables  were  ufed  by  Chrift,  134 

Fault  of  Young  Preachers  reproved,  141 

Of  Secret  and  Social  Prayer,  170 

Ot  the  Tone  of  the  Voice  in  Prayer,.  171 

Sinful  to  complain  of  Providence,  173 

Qf  Prayer,  195. 


CONTENTS.  vii 

Page 
R. 

Reading,  31 

Subftance  of  Natural  Religion,  46 

Advantages  of  Reading,  66 

Reading  and  Conversation  contrafted,  67 

Method  of  Reading  recommended,  76 

Reaion  a  Source  of  Religion,  88 

Revelation  fuperior  to  Reafon,  108 
Reaion  alone   not  fufficient  to  procure 

Wifdom  and  Happinefs*  109 

For  improving  the  Reafoning  Faculties,  119* 

Obedience  due  to  Revelation,  14J 
Religion  and  Morality  to  be  encouraged 

in  Children,  14$ 

Late  Repentance,  187 

The  Rake  reformed,  a  Tale,~  203 

S. 

Spring,  26 

Self-love,  40 

Salvation  through  Jefus  Chrid,.  57 
Salvation  to  be  extended  to  thofe  who 

have  not  believed  in  Chrift,  58 

Exhortation  againft  Sorrow,  81 

Gt  Science,  86 

Ufe  of  Similitudes,  123 

On  the  Sacrifice  of  our  Redeemer,  136 

T. 

Government  of  Thoughts,  50 
111  Confequences  of   terrifying  young 

Minds,  1  co 


viii  CONTENTS. 

Page 

The  End  of  Time,  183 

Value  of  Time,  184 

V. 

Vanity,  1 89 

W. 

Wonder,.  33 

POETRY. 


Divine  Judgment,  221 

The  Univerfal  Hallelujah,  224 

The  Day  of  Judgment,  226 
Fire,  Air,  Earth,  and  Sea,  praife  ye  the 

Lord,  2  2-3 

Launching  into  Eternity,  230 

Breathing  towards  the  Heavenly  Country,  23 1 

Converfe  with  Chrift,  232 

Falfe  Greatnefs,  234 

True  monarchy,  23^ 

Few  Happy  Matches*,  a; 7 


THE 

LIFE 

t 

O       F 

DOCTOR    WATTS. 


IT  is  not  to  be  expected  that  the  life  of  a 
man  devoted  from  a  ftate  of  infancy  to 
itudy  and  retirement,  mould  be  pregnant 
with  fuch  incidents  as  are  apt  to  -excite  pub- 
lic curiofity.  The  truly  excellent  perfon  of 
whom  it  is  our  bufinefs  to  prefent  the  reader 
with  feme  biographical  anecdotes,  was  diflin- 
guifhed  by  a  cheerful  and  uninterrupted  dif- 
charge  of  every  religious  and  moral  duty,  an 
imagination  fo  fertile  in  original  and  great 
ideas  as  to  feem  incapable  of  being  exhaust- 
ed, a  profound  and  folid  judgment,  and  very 
extenfivs  literary  acquirements. 

Having  premifed  thus  much,  we  ihall  pro- 
ceed to  the  narrative.  The  father  of  Doctor 
Watts  kept  a  boarding  fchool  in  the  town  of 
Southampton  ;  and  his  qualifications  for  the 
office  of  a  preceptor  were  fuch,  as  procured 
him  confiderable  encouragement,  while  the 
integrity  of  his  manners  gained  him  the  ref- 
peel  of  all  who  had  the  happinefs  of  his  a<> 


IO  THE    LIFE    OF    DR.    WATTS. 

quaintance.  Of  nine  children,  Ifaac  was  the 
elded.  Though  Mr.  Watts  was  not  in  cir- 
cumftances  of  Opulence,  yet  his  income  was 
equal  to  the  fupport  of  his  numerous  family 
in  a  flile  of  gentility, 

Iiaac  Watts  was  born  at  Southampton  on 
the  17th  of  July  1674.  At  a  very  early 
period  of  life  he  appeared  to  be  ftrongly  at- 
tached to  reading  ;  and  this  difpofrtion  was 
with  pleafur^  obferved,  and  carefully  culti- 
vated, by  his  parents.  At  four  years  old  his 
father  began  to  inftruct.  him  in  Latin  ;  and 
after  having  made  fome  confiderable  progrefs 
in  that  language,  and  in  other  fundamental 
branches  of  learning,  he  was  placed  under 
the  tuition  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Pinhorne, 
a  clergyman  of  the  eftablifhed  church,  and 
matter  of  the  free-fchool  at  Southampton. 

In  this  fituation  our  young  ftudent  aftcrd- 
ed  very  early  proofs  of  an  infatiable  thirft 
for  learning,  and  of  an  uncommon  brilliancy 
of  genius,  which  indeed  rendered  him  after- 
wards fo  highly  diftinguifhed  in  the  literary 
world.  His  rapid  progrefs  in  the  learned 
languages,  and  in  various  branches  of  the 
fciences,  together  with  the  fprightlinefs  and 
vivacity  of  his  wit,  which  he  had  the  happy 
talent  of  attempering  with  a  degree  of  fo- 
ber  judgment,  which  was  altogether  extraor- 
dinary in  one  of  his  years,  induced  fome  lib- 
eral-minded perfons  to  propofe  engaging  in 
a  fubfcription  for  the  purpofe  of  compleafc- 


THE    LIFE    OF    DR.    WATTS.  II 

ing  his  education  at  one  of  the  univerfities. 
This  generous  propofal,  however,  he  declin- J 
ed  with  grateful  acknowledgments,  declaring 
his  refolution  of  adhering  to  thofe  principles 
he  had  imbibed  from  his  parents,  which  im- 
pelled him  to  attach  himfelf  to  the  DifTent-  ' 
ing  church. 

In  the  year  1690,  young  Mr.  Watts  took 
up  his  refidence  at  an  academy  in  London 
under  the  direction  of  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Thomas  Rowe,  who,  it  is  recorded  upon  good 
authority,  had  not,  during  the  years  that  he 
refided  in  his  feminary  of  learning,  a  fingle 
occafion  for  addreffing  him  in  a  ftile  even  of 
the  mildeft  reprimand  or  reproof,  fo  early 
was  hi  mind  imprefTed  with  juft  fentiments 
of  religion  and  morality,  fueh  perfect  fimpli- 
city  was  there  in  his  manners,  and  fo  indefa- 
tigably  afliduous  was  he  in  his  ftudies.  His 
moil  intimate  companions  while  at  Mr. 
Rowe's  academy  were  his'  fellow-ftudents, 
Mr.  Horte,  afterwards  archbifhop  of  Tuam, 
and  'Mr.  Hughes,  the  Poet. 

Mr.  Watts  became  a  poetical  efTayift  at 
the  age  of  fifteen,  and,  this  art  he  cultivated, 
though  rather  as  an  amufement,  or  a  relaxa- 
tion from  more  fevere  ftudies,  than  as  a  mat- 
ter of  ferious  bufmefs,  till  he  had  arrived  at 
fifty.  For  a  confiderable  time  before  the 
expiration  of  his  minority  he  appears  to  have 
frequently  directed  his  attention  to  Latin 
poetry,  though  not  with  a  view  of  acquiring 


IZ  THE-  LIFE    OF    Dtt.    WATTS. 

the  reputation  either  of  great  learning  or  ex- 
traordinary talents,  but  chiefly  to  obtain  a 
more  perfect  knowledge  of  the  language. 
The  ftrength  of  his  mind,  and  his  Angular 
induftry,  are  furrlciently  manifeft  in  thefe 
productions,  which. though  probably  the  ef- 
fect of  no  inconfiderable  labour,  and  not  to 
be  placed  in  competition  with  many  of  his 
other  pieces  ;  yet  there  is  fo  much  propriety 
both  in  the  fentiments  and  the  language,  and 
they  fo  admirably  correfpond  with  each  oth- 
er, that  commendation  will  even  here  be  ex- 
torted from  the  utmoft  feverity  of  critical 
examination. 

In  the  year  1693,  Mr.  Watts  joined  in 
communion  with  the  church  of  which  his 
tutor,  Mr.  Rowe,  was  paftor.  Having  paf- 
fed  through  a  regular  courfe  of  education  at 
Mr.  Rowe's  academy,  about  his  twentieth 
year,  he  returned  to  his  father's  houfe  at 
Southampton,  where  he  was  received  with 
the  utmoft  tendernefs  of  parental  affection, 
every  opportunity  being  afforded  him  for 
further  qualifying  himfelf  toaflumethat  im- 
portant ftation,  to  which  in  procefs  of  time 
he  became  one  of  the  moil  diftinguifhed 
ornaments. 

Having  refided  two  years  with  his  father, 
conftantly  employed  in  ardent  ftudy,  and  in 
the  devotional  .  exercifes  of  a  truly  pious 
Cbriftian,  he  accepted  an  invitation  from  Sir 
John  Hartopp  to  refide  in  that  gentleman's 


THE    LIFE    OF    DR.    WATTS.  I  i 

family  in  quality  of  tutor  to  his  fan.  In  this 
fituation  he  remained  upwards  of  four  years, 
during  which  period  he  peculiarly  devoted 
his  mind  to  theological  and  Scriptural  iludies. 
His  exemplary  piety,  the  (implicity  and  ca- 
nine's of  his  manners,  his  extenfive  knowledge, 
and  various  other  great  and  agreeable  quali- 
ties, eftablifhed  the  foundation  of  that  reci- 
procal and  lafting  friendihip  which  fubfifted 
between  this  excellent  preceptor  and  his  a- 
rniable  pupil. 

On  the  17th  July  1698,  the  day  on  which 
Mr.  Watts  attained  his  twenty-fourth  year, 
he  preached  his  probationary  fermon  at  the 
chapel  in  Beny-ftreet,  London^  to  a  very 
numerous  congregation,  who  united  in  ac- 
knowledging, that,  whether  confidered  in  a 
theoiog  eal,  a  moral,  or  a  phiiofophical  point 
of  view,  the  difcourfe  of  the  youthful  candi- 
date for  being  admitted  a  labourer  in  the  vine- 
yard of  his  bie tied  S.iviou  Jefus  Chriit,  would 
have  reflected  the  higheft  honour  upon  a  divine 
who  had  grown  grey  in  the  fatigues  of  ftudy 
and  the  exercife  of  the  pair  oral  functions.  In 
the  fame  year  he  was  chofen  amtiant  to  Dr. 
Ifaac  Chauncy  ;  but  though  his  public  la- 
bours procured  him  universal  veneration, 
they  were  in  a  ihort  time  interrupted  by  a 
dangerous  inuifpofition,  which  continued  for 
the  (pace  of  five  months,  and  was  iuppofed 
to  h>vs  been  occafioned  by  too  rigid  an  at- 
tention to  his  iludiesj  and  the  unremitting 
B 


14  THE    LIFE    OP    PR'.    WATTS. 

activity  and  fervent  zeal  with  which  he  avail- 
ed himfelf  of  every  opportunity  of  proclaim- 
ing the  gofpel  of  Chrift,  notwithstanding  the 
natural  weaknefs  of  his  conftitution  leemed 
but  little  adapted  to  iuch  fevere  and  conftant 
exertions.  But  upon  the*re-e[tablifhment  of 
his  health,  his  pious  endeavours  for  the  falva- 
tion  of  the  fouls  of  his  fellow-creatures  iufTer- 
ed  no  abatement. 

Mr.  Watts  was,  in  January  1 701,  appoint- 
ed to  fucceed  Doctor  Chauncy  ;  and  on  the 
1 8th  of  March  was  folemnly  ordained  to  the 
paftoral  office  ;  but  prefently  after  his  pro- 
motion, he  was  attacked  by  a  very  painful 
and  threatening  illnefs  ;  from  which  he  re- 
covered by  very  flow,  and,  for  a  long  time, 
by  almoft  imperceptible  degrees ;  and  indeed 
jfpr  feverai  years,  after  this  lhoek,  his  health 
remained  in  a  very  precarious  Mate.  In  the 
interim,  however,  that  his  congregation  in 
particular,  and  mankind  in  general,  might 
not  be  deprived  of  fo  invaluable  a  member 
of  fociety.  and  fo  exemplary  a  minifter  of 
the  gofpel  of  Chrift,  by  too  ftric>  an  atten- 
tion to  the  difcharge  of  the  duties  of  his 
holy  office,  it  was  deemed  expedient  that  he 
fhould  be  relieved  from  too  intenfe  applica- 
tion by  a  regular  and  ftated  affiftant ;  and 
accordingly  Mr.  Samuel  Price  was  in  June 
1703,  chofen  to  that  employment. 

Being  now  afforded  an  opportunity  of  al- 
Jowing  his  mind  fome  relaxation  from   the 


THE    LiKE    OF    PR.    WATTS. 


fatigues  of  his  pafloral  ofHce,  his  health  was 
gradually  reftored  ;  and  he  again  returned 
to  a  diligent  acquital  of  his  holy  miniflrati- 
on,  to  which  taik,  arduous  as  it  was,  he  ad- 
ded that  of  eitabliihing  a  fociety  of  the 
younger  members  of  his  church,  for  the  pur- 
poses of  prayers  and  religious  conference  : 
and  to  theie  pupils  he,  from  time  to  time, 
delivered  the  fubftance  of  the  book  which  he 
afterwards   published    under  the   title  of  A 

GUIDE    TO    PRAYER. 

Our  Divine  continued  in  the'  regular  at- 
tendance upon  his  public  duty  till  the  year 
1712,  when  in  the  month  ot  September  he 
was  feized  with  a  violent  fever,  from  which 
he  was  not  relieved  till  the  cruel  diieale  had 
fb  {nattered  his  nerves  and  enfeebled  his  con- 
fVitution,  that  though  he  recovered  the  full 
powers  and  vigour  of  his  mind.,  it  feemed 
uot  in  the  learf  probable  that  his  exi (fence 
upon  earth  would  be  prolonged  through 
half  the  number  oi  years  which  he  afterwards 
enjoyed.  During  this  illneis  fervent  prayers 
to  the  throne  of  God  were  frequently  put 
forth  in  his  own  church,  and  alfo  in  many- 
others,  tor  the  preiervation  of  fo  valuable  a 
life  ;  and  the  ardour  of  devotion  which  was 
manifefted  on  thefe  occahons,  afforded  a  ve- 
ry remarkable  proof  of  the  high  veneration 
and  efteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  all  ranks 
of  pious  Chriflians,  and  particularly  by  hi$ 
brethren  of  the  miniflry;. 


l6  THE    LIFE    OF    DH.    WATTS. 

Soon  after  being  attacked  by  this  illnefs* 
at  his  earned:  intreaty,  his  afiidant  Mr. 
Price  was  appointed  a  paflor  of  the  church 
jointly  with  him.  Between  thefe  pious  mem- 
bers of  the  Chriftian.  church  there  fubfifted 
a  friendfhip  difinterefted  and  cordially  pious 
till  the  death  of  Dr.  Watts,  who  bequeath- 
ed a  legacy,  to  "  his  faithful  friend  and  com- 
"  panion  in  the  labours  of  the  miniftry,  as 
"  only  a  fmall  teftimony  of  his  great  afifec- 
•'  tion  for  him,  on  account  of  his  fervices  of 
"  love  during  the  many  harmonious  years 
•f  of  their  fellowship  in  the  work  of  the  gof- 
■<  pel." 

The  traces  of  his  lail  indifpofition  were 
too  man  if  eft  for  the  eafe  of  his  numerous 
friends,  who  feverely  regretted  the  very  pre- 
carious and  alarming  ftate  to  which  his  con- 
ftitution  had  been  reduced  ;  and  among  the 
mod  diilinguimed  of  thefe  was  the  late  Sir 
Thomas  Abr.ey,  who  with  an  ardency  of  pcr- 
iuafion  which  the  flncerity  and  warmth  of 
Mr.  Watt's  friendfhip  for  his  generous  fup- 
plicant,  and  a  thorough  conviction  of  his  ex- 
emplary piety  and  numberlefs  public  and 
private  virtues,  difqualified  him  for  refitting, 
ifiVited  our  divine  to  eftabliih  his  refidence 
at  his  feat,  at  Stoke  Newington. 

While  he  remained  in  the  family  of  Sir 
Thomas  Abney,  "  the  notions  of  patronage 
"  and  dependence  were  overpowered  by  the 
<c  perception  of  reciprocal  bene  fits."    About 


7 HE    LIFE    OF    DR.    WATTS,  If 

eight  years  after  his  removal  to  the  hcufe  of 
Sir  Thomas  at  Stoke  Newington,  that  gen- 
tleman died  ;  and  fmce  a  more  pious  and  or- 
thodox Chriftian,  or  a  man  of  more  exem- 
plary virtue  either  in  public*  or  in  private 
life  has  been  fcareely  known,  it  will  eafily  be 
believed  that  his  death  was  fincerely  lament- 
ed. After  the  deceafe  of  his  generous  and 
truly  refpectable  friendr  he  continued  to  re- 
fide  in  the  family  of  Lady  Abney  till  his 
death,  including  in  the  whole  a  period  of 
thirty-fix  years,  during  which,  both  by  that 
lady  and  tier  truly  excellent  daughter,  the 
prelent  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Abney,  he  was  treat- 
ed with  the  fame  uniformity  of  friendfhip 
which  he  had  experienced  during  the  life  of 
Sir  Thomas.  During  his  reildence  in  this 
h*pf*y  family.,  which  as  Doctor  Gibbons  jung- 
ly obierves,  "  for  piety,  order,  harmony,  and^ 
"  every  virtue,  was  an  houie  of  God,"  his 
days  ran  on  in  an  even  tenor,  diveifified  on- 
ly by  a  fucceffion  of  literary  productions. 

Without  felicitation,  or  even  a  hint  that 
the  compliment  would  be  acceptable,  in  the 
year  1728,  the  univerfities  of  Edinburgh  and 
Aberdeen  tranfmitted  him  a  diploma,  where- 
by Mr.  Watts  was  conftituted  a  dodor  of 
divinity  ;  and  in  this  grant  it  mud  be  allow- 


Sir  Thcmas  Abney  was  feveral  years  an  Alderman  of  London  > 
and  he  hkewife  ferved  the  office  of  Lord  Mayor.  As  his  private 
life  was  without  reproach,  fo  he  dlfcharged  the  duties  of  his  public 
ftation  w.th  unimpeached  integrity.  He  died  Febiuary  6th,  i-jzi-Zy 
»n  the  83d  year  of  bis  age, 

B.  2 


l8  THE    LIFE    OF    p$.    Vv'ATI  a. 

ed  there  was  lingular  propriety,  for  he  had 
long  rendered  himfeif  worth)-  of  the  diiTino 
tion,  not  only  by  his^liligenceand  fueceis  as 
a  Chriftian  miniuer,but  atfb  by -his  numerous 
theological,  philofophxa'  and  meta 
writings,  and  by  b  ing  the  man  pvjto 
queftionably  contributed  more  thana;,/  oth- 
er to  convince  the  DifFenters,  who  had  been 
ever  remarkable  for  an  affected  contempt  of 
the  beauties  of  language,  and  a  ftudied  ine- 
legancy  of  expreflicn,  that  the  great  truths 
of  the  Chriflian  gofpel  would  become  doub- 
ly attractive  when  difplayed  in  the  facinating 
powers  of  a  poiifhed  diction. 

In  feature  Doctor  Watts  was  but  little  a- 
bove  fix  feet.  Though  his  figure  feemed 
not  calculated  to  command  attention,  yet  in; 
common  difeourfe  upon  ferious  fubjecls,  as 
well  as  in  the  pulpit,  there  was  a  dignified  fo- 
lemnity  in  Jnis  whole  deportment  and  manner 
of  utterance  that  afforded  a  kind  of  irrefuta- 
ble energy*  to  what  ever  came  from  his  lips* 
Gefticulation  in  the  pulpit  he  rejected  both 
as  unnecefTary  and  as  little  correfponding  with 
the  gravity  and  importance  of  divine  topics : 
but  in  familiar  converfation  he  was  not  fo 
obfervant  of  a  feverity  of  manner?  5  his  fan- 
cy was  excutfive,  and  his  wit  was  brilliant  i 
and  he  fometimes  exercifed  thofe  faculties 
with  freedom,  though  he  ever  reftrained  him- 
Jelf  within  the  bounds  of  ftrid  decorum., 
fllJom  difmifling  a  fubjett  without  deducing* 


THE    LIFE    OF    DR.    WATTS.  1 9 

from  it  Tome  excellent   leflbn  of  religion  or 
morality. 

While  in  the  family  of  Sir  Thomas  Ab- 
ney  and  his  La-ly,  he  conftantly  devoted  one 

1*  of  1  is  income  to  charitable  uies  ;  and 
';  tue  poj  >r  i-n  iVknefs,  aod 
c  :    drooping  hearts    t  itii  I 

Foart. 

Since  his  writings  have  been  criticifed  by 
that  cnrnent  judge  of  literary  rnent  Doctor 
Samuel  Johnfon,  it  would  perhaps  be  deem- 
ed a  fort  of  prefumption  in  the  writer  of  this 
narrative,  were  he  to  obtrude  upon  the  read- 
er his  own  opinion  as  to  the  degree  of  ap- 
probation that  is  due  to  the  voluminous 
works  of  Doctor  Watts:  and  therefore  he 
will  introduce  an  extract  which  though  con- 
cile,  he  trulls  will  prove  fatisfactory. 

"  Few  men  have  left  behind  fuch  Durlty 
«<  of  character  or  fuch  monuments  of  labo- 
"  rious  piety.  He  has  provided  instruction 
<;  for  all  ages,  from  thofe  who  are  lifping 
<c  their  firft  iefibns  to  the  enlightened  read- 
"  ers  of  Malbranche  and  Locke  ;  he  has  kfi 
u  neither  corporeal  nor  fpiritual  nature  un- 
"  examined  ;  he  has  taught  the  art  of  rea- 
"  foning,  and  the  fcience  of  the  fears." 

•1  His  character,  therefore,  mufl  be  form- 
**  ed  from  the  multiplicity  and  diverfity  of 
«*  his  attainments,  rather  than  from  any  fin* 

*  Do&or  Juhnion  fays  wrc  ibirj  ;— but  this  I  apprehend  to  b.  a 


20  THE    LITE    OP    DR.    WATTS. 

M  glc  performance  ;  for  it  would  not  be  fafe 
•'  to  claim  for  him  the  highed  rank  in  any 
<c  (Ingle  denomination  of  literary  dignity  T 
"  yet  perhaps  there  is  nothing  in  which  her 
cl  would  not  have  excelled,  if  he  had  not 
"  divided  his  powers  to  different  puriuits. 

"  As  a  poet,  had  he  been  only  a  poet,  he 
"  would  probably  have  flood  high  among. 
"  the  authors  with  whom  he  is  now  aflbciat- 
<c  ed.  For  his  judgments  were  exact,  and  he 
"  noted  beauties  and  faults  with  a  nice  dif~ 
"  cernment  ;  his  imagination,  as  the  Dacian 
<c  Battle  proves,  was  vigorous  and  adtive,  and 
<c  the  ftores  of  knowledge  were  large  by  which 
u  his  imagination  was  fupplied.  His  ear  was- 
M  well-tuned  and  his  diction  was  elegant  and- 
•*- copious."*' 

For  between  two  and  three  years  before 
his  death,  the  activity  and  fprightlinefs  of  his 
mind  fuffered  a  gradual  abatement  :  but  irr 
no  other  refpect  did  his  faculties  feem  im- 
paired. Death  Lad  no  terrors  for  a  marr 
whole  life  had  been  uniformly  employed  in 
preparing  himfelf  for  the  awful  change  which 
was  to  give  him  poileflion  of  thole  glorious 
rewards  which  he  now  enjoys  through  the 
mediation  of  his  bleffed  Saviour. 

Doctor  lfaac  Watts  died  at  Stoke  Newing- 
ton  on  the  25th  ot  November,  1748,111  the 
feventy -fifth  year  of  his  age. 


THE 


BEAUTIES 


O  F 


Dr.      W     A    T    T    S. 


THE   INVISIBLE    NATURE   OF  GOD. 


W 


E  are  the  work  of  forne  more  power- 
ful and  fuperior  hand  ;  but  how  we 
came  fiffft  into  being,  we  know  not  :  the 
manner  of  our  original  exiftence  is  hid  from 
us  in  darknefs  :  we  are  neither  conlcious  of 
our  creation,  nor  of  the  Power  which  created 
us.  He  made  us,  but  he  hid  himfelf  from 
our  eyes  and  ears,  and  all  the  fearches  of  fenfe. 
He  has  fent  us  to  dwell  in  this  vifible  world, 
amidft  an  endlefs  variety  of  images,  figures,, 
and  colours,  which  force  themfelves  upon  our 
fenfes  ;  but  he  forever  disclaims  all  image* 
colour,  and  figure  himfelf.  He  hath  fet  us, 
who  are  inferior  (pints,  this  tafk,  in  thefe  re- 
gions of  mortal  flefh,  to  fearch  and 7 'eel  after 
bint,  if  haply  we  may  find  the  fupreme,  the  in- 
finite, and  eternal  Spirit,     We  are  near  a-kia 


22  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DH.  WATTS. 

to  him,  even  his  czvn  offspring  ;  but  we  fee 
not  our  Father's  face  ;  nor  can  all  the  powers 
of  our  nature  come  at  the  knowledge  of  him 
that  made  us,  but  by  the  labours  and  infer- 
ences,of  our  reafon.  We  toil  and  work  back- 
ward to  find  our  Creator  :  from  our  prefent 
exiftence,  we  trace  out  his  eternity  ;  and 
through  the  chain  of  a  thoufand  viilble  ef- 
fects, we  fearch  out  the  Firft,  the  Inviiible, 
and  Almighty  Oufe. 

When  we  fancy  we  perceive  fomething  of 
him,  it  is  at  a  diltance,  and  in  a  dufky  twi- 
light. We  efpy  fome  faint  beams,  iome  glim- 
merings of  his  glory  breaking  through  the 
works  of  his  hands  ;  but  he  himieif  (lands 
hehind  the  veil,  and  does  not  ihew  himfelf  in- 
open  light  to  the  ions  and  daughters  of  mor- 
tality, Happy  creatures,  if  v/e  could  make 
our  way  fo  near  him,  as  to  behold  the  lovely 
and  adorable  beauties  of  his  nature;  if  we 
could  place  cur  fouls  fo-  directly  under  his 
kinder!  'influences,  as -to  feel  curfelves  adore 
him  in  the  mod  profound  humility,  and  love. 
him  with  the  molt  fublime  afTection. 

MISCSI-.     THOUGHTS,  p.  2. 


IDOLATRY. 


IT  has  been  an  old  temptation  to  man- 
kind, almoll  ever  imce  human  nature  was 


THE    EEAITTIES  OF  PR.  WATTS.  23 

made,  that  we  defire  to  find  out  ibmething 
juft  like  God.  Hence  arofe  a  great  part  of 
the  idolatiy  of  ancient  ages,  and  ofaimoftali 
the  heathen  world.  The  christian  world,  in- 
deed, has  much  clearer  light,  and  nobler  dis- 
coveries of  the  invifible.  nature  of  God  ;  and 
yet  how  has  the  Romifh  church,  fallen, into 
grofs  idolatry  in  this  refped,  and  with  pro- 
fane attempt  they  have  painted  all  the  Blcjjed 
Tnnit\  !  Whatlbever  pretence  they  may  de- 
rive from  the  human  nature  of  the  Son  of 
God,  or  from  the  dove-like  appearance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  draw  the  figures  of  a  dove  or 
a  man,  as  a  memorial  of  thole  facred  conde- 
fceniions  ;  yet  I  know  no  Sufficient  warrant 
they  can  have  to  fly  m  the  very  face  of  Divine 
Prohibition,  and  to  paint  and  carve  the  figure 
of  God  the  Father  like  an  old  man,  when  he 
never  appeared  among  men  in  any  bodily 
form  ;  and  our  Lord  Jejus  himfelf  fays  of  him, 
*'  Ye  hive  neither  heard  his  voice  at  any  time, 
nor  [ten  his  fhape."    John  v.  37. 

MISCEL.  THOUGHTS,  p.  7. 


THESTCDyOFMANKIKD. 

AMONG  all  the  ufeful  and  entertaining 
ftudies  of  philoSophy,  there  is  nonefo  worthy 
of  man  as  the  fcience  of  human  nature-  There 


£4  IKE  5EAUTIE3  OF  BR.  WATTS. 

is  none  that  furnifhes  us  with  more  wonders 
of  Divin:  Wifdom,  or  gives  higher  occafion 
to  adore  Divine  Goodneis. 

miscel.  though  rs,  p.  19. 


?NQUIRY  INTO  THE  SPIRITUAL  AND  ANIMAL  EX- 
ISTENCE OF  MAN. 

NOW  I  (land,  now  I  lie  down  ;  I  rife  a- 
gain  and  walk  ;  I  eat,  drink,  and  fleep  ;  my 
pulfe  beats,  and  I  draw  the  breath  of  life  : 
furely  I  have  the  parts  and  powers  of  an  ani- 
mal ;  lama  living  body  ot  flefh  and  blood, 
a  wonderful  engine,  with  many  varieties  of 
motion.  But  let  me  confider,  alfo,  what  oth- 
er actions  I  perform. 

I  think,  I  meditate,  and  contrive  ;  T  com- 
pare things,  and  judge  of  them  ;  now  I  doubt, 
imd  then  1  believe  ;  I  will  what  I  act,  and 
ibmetimes  I  wifli  what  I  cannot  act  :  I  defire 
and  hope  for  what  I  have  not,  as  well  as  am 
confeious  of  what  I  have,  and  rejoice  in  ;t :  I 
look  backward,  and  lurvey  ageb  paft,and  1  look 
iorward  into  what  is  to  come.  Surely  1  mud 
be  a  Spirit,  a  thinking  Power,  a  Soul,  fome- 
thing  very  diftinct  from  this  machine  of  mat- 
ter, with  all  its  fhape  and  motions. 

Mere  mailer>  put  into  all  pofll'ole  motion, 
can  never  think,  reaion,  and  contrive  ;  can 
never  hope  and  with  as  I  do,  and  lurvey  difc 
taat  times,  the  pad  and  future.     What  am 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  £5 

I  then  ?  What  ftrange  kind  of  Being  is  this, 
which  is  conicious  of  all  thefe  different  agen- 
cies, both  of  Matter  and  Spirit  ?  What  fort 
of  thing  can  I  be,  who  feem  to  think  and  rea- 
fon  in  my  head,  and  feel  and  am  conicious  of 
pain  and  eafe,  not  at  my  heart  only,  but  at 
my  toes  and  fingers  too  ?  I  conclude,  then, 
I  can  be  nothing  elie  but  a  Compound  Creature, 
made  up  of  thefe  two  diftind  beings,  Spirit 
and  Matter  ;  or,  as  we  ufually  exprefs  it, 
Soul  and  Body. 

It  is  very  plain  alfo  to  me,  upon  a  fmall 
enquiry,  that  this  body  and  this  foul  did  not 
make  themfelves,  nor  one  another.  I  had  no 
more  hand  in  the  union  of  thefe  two  princi- 
ples, or  in  the  compotltion  of  myfelf^  than  I 
had  in  the  making  of  thofe  two  diftincl  be- 
ings of  which  I  am  compounded.  It  was 
God  only,  that  great  God  who  created  both 
parts  of  me5  the  Animal  and  the  Mind,  who 
alfo  joined  them  together  in  fo  ftrange  an 
union.  And  if  I  were  to  enter  into  the  myf- 
teries  of  this  union,  it  would  open  a  wide  and 
various  fcene  of  amazement  at  his  unfearch- 
able  wifdom  i 

MISCEL.  THOUGHTS,  p.  19. 


THE    PRAISE    OF    GOD. 

m  WHAT  is  praife  ?    It  is  a  part  of  that  dj- 
%*ine  worfhip  which  we  owe  to  the  Power  that 
C 


£6  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

made  us  -,  it  is  an  acknowledgment  of  the  per- 
fections of  God,  afcribing  all  excellencies  to 
him,  and  conftffing  all  the  works,  of  nature 
.and  grace  to  proceed  from  him.  Now,  when 
we  apply  ourfelves  to  this  work,  a,nd  drefsup 
our  notions  of  a  God  in  magnificence  of  lan- 
guage,— when  we  furnifli  them  out  with 
:fhining  figures,  and  pronounce  them  with 
iounding  words — we  fancy  ourfelves  to  fay 
great  things,  and  are  even  charmed  with  our 
own  forms  of  praife  :  but,  alas  !  the  higheft 
and  beft  of  them,  fet  in  a  true  light,  are  but 
the  feeble  voice  of  a  creature,  fpreading  be- 
fore the  Almighty  Being  that  made  him, 
fome  of  his  own  low  and  little  ideas,  and  tell- 
ing him  what  he  thinks  of  the  Great  God, 
and  what  God  has  done.  When  the  holy 
Pialmifl  would exprefs  his  honorable  thoughts 
of  his  Maker,  they  amount  only  to  this, 
<c  Thou  art  good,  and  thou  doeft  good." 
PfaL  cxix.  How  inconfider^ble  an  offering 
is  this  for  a  God  !  and  yet  fo  condefcending 
is  his  love,  that  he  looks  down,  and  is  well 
pleafed  to  receive  it. 

M1SCEL.    THOUGHTS,  p.  2S. 


/^^r 


SPRING. 


WHAT   aftoni fhing  variety  of  artifices, 
what  innumerable  millions  of  exquifite  works. 


TJ£E   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS,  &f 

k  the  God  of  nature  engaged  in  every  mo- 
ment !  How  gloriously  are  his  all-pervading 
wifdom  and  power  employed  in  this  ufeful 
feafon  of  the  year,  this  Spring  of  Nature  ! 
What  infinite  myriads  of  vegetable  beings  is 
he  forming  this  very  moment,  in  their  roots 
and  branches,  in  their  leaves  and  bloflbms,- 
their  feeds  and  fruit  !  Some,  indeed,  begun 
to  difcover-  their  bloom  amidft  the  fnows  of 
-  January,  or  under  the  rough  cold  blafts  of 
March  :  thole  flowers  are  withered  and  van- 
ished in  April,  and  their  feeds  are  now  ripen- 
ing to  perfection.  Others, are  mewing  them- 
ielves  this  day  in  all  their  blooming  pride  and 
beauty  ,  and  while  they  adorn  the  gardens 
and  meadows  with  gay  and  glowing  colours, 
they  promife  their  fruits  in.  the  day  of  har- 
vest. The  whole  nation  of  vegetables  is  un- 
der the  Divine  care  and  culture  ;  his  hand 
forms  them  day  and  night  with  admirable 
fkill  and  unceafing  operation,,  according  to 
the  natures  he  fTrft  gave  them,  and  produces 
their  buds'and  foliage,  their  flowery  bloflbms, 
and  rich  fruits,  in  their  appointed  months. 
Their  progrefs  in  life  is  exceeding  fwift  at 
this  feafon  of  the  year  ;  and  their  lucceffive 
appearances,  and  iweet  changes  of  raiment, 
are  viiibie  almoft  hourly. 

But  thefe  creatures  are  of  lower  life,  and 
give  but  feeble  difplays  of  the  Maker's ^wif- 
dom. Let  us  raife  our  contemplations  anoth- 
er ftory,   and   furvey  a  nobler  theatre  of  di- 


J>8  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS, 

vine  wonder?.  What  endlefs  armies  of  ani- 
mals is  the  hand  of  God  moulding  and  fig- 
uring this  very  moment,  throughout  his  bru- 
tal dominions  !  What  immenie  flights  of  lit- 
tle birds  are  now  fermenting  in  the  egz, 
heaving  and  growing  towards  fhape  and  lite  ! 
What  vaft  flocks  of  four-footed  creatures, 
what  droves  of  large  cattle,  are  now  framed 
in  their  early  embrios,  imprifoned  in  the  dark 
cells  of  nature  !  And  others,  perhaps,  are 
.moving  towards  liberty,  and  juft  preparing  to 
fee  the  light.  What  unknown  myriads  of 
infects,  in  their  various  cradles  and  netting- 
places,  are  now  working  toward  vitality  and 
motion  !  And  ihoufands  of  them  with  their 
painted  wings  juft  beginning  to  unfurl,  and 
expand  themfelves  into  fluttering  and  day- 
light ;  while  other  families  of  them  have  for- 
faken  their  hivfky  beds,  and  exult  and  glitter 
in  the  warm  fun-beams ! 

An  exquifite  world  of  wonders  is  compli- 
cated even  in  the  body  of  every  little  infect,, 
an  ant,  a  gnat,  a  mite,  that  is  fcarce  vifible 
to  the  naked  eye.  Admirable  engines !  which 
a  whole  academy  of  philofophers  could  never 
contrive  ;  which  the  nation  of  poets  hath 
neither  art  nor  colours  to  defcribe  ;  nor  has 
a  world  of  mechanics  fkill  enough  to  frame 
the  plained:  or  coarfeft  of  them.  Their  nerves, 
their  mufcels,  and  the  minute  atoms  which 
compofe  the  fluids  fit  to  run  in  the  little 
channels  of  their  veins,  efcape  the  notice  of, 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS,  3$P 

the  mod  fagacious  mathematician,  with  afl? 
his  aid  of  glailes.  The  active  powers  and  cu- 
riofity  of  human  nature  are  limited  in  their 
puriiiit,  and  mud  be  content  to  lie  down,  i#> 
ignorance. 

It  is  a  fublime  and  conftant-  triumph  over 
all  the  intellectual  powers  of  man,  which  the 
great  God  maintains  every  moment  in  theie 
inimitable  works  of  nature,  in  thefe.  impene- 
trable receifes  and  myfteries  of  divine  art  ! 
The  flags  and  banners  of  Almighty  wifdom 
are  now  difplayed  round  half  the  globe,  and 
the  other  half  waits  the  return  of  the  fun  to 
fpread  the  fame  triumph  over  the  fouthern 
world,  The  very  fun- in  the  firmament  is 
God's  prime  mimfter  in  this  wondrous  world 
of :  beings,  and  he  works  with  fovereign  vigour 
on  the  furface  of  the  earth,  and  fpreads  his 
influences  deep  under  the  clods  to  every  root 
and  fibre,  moulding  them  into  their  proper 
forms,  by  divine  direction.  There  is  not  a. 
plant,  nor  a  leaf,  nor  one  little  branching 
thread,  above  or  beneath  the  ground,  that 
efcapes  the  eye  or  influence  of  this  benevolent 
flar  :  an  illuftrious  emblem  of  the  Omnipo- 
tence and  univerfal  activity  of  the  Creator. 

MISCEL.   THOUGHTS,  p.    31. 


DIRECTIONS  CONCERNING   OUR  IDEAS. 

FURNISH  yourfelves  with  a  rich  variety 
of  ideas  5  acquaint  yourfelves  with  things  ar> 
€  z- 


$D     ■      THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

cient  and  modern ;  things  natural,  civil,  and 
religious  ;  things  domcftic  and  national  ; 
things  of  your  native  land,  and  of  foreign 
countries  3  things  prefent,  pa  ft,  and  future  ; 
and,  above  all,  be  well  acquainted  with  God 
and  yourfelves  ;  learn  animal  nature,  and  the 
workings  of  your  own  fpirits.  Such  a  gene- 
ral acquaintance  with  things  will  be  of  very 
great  advantage. 

LOGIC,  p.  71. 


SUPERFICIAL    OBSERVERS. 

THERE  are  fome  perfons  that  never  ar- 
rive at  any  deep,  lolid,  or  valuable  knowl- 
edge, in  any  icience,  or  any  bulinefs  of  life, 
becaufe  they  are  perpetually  fluttering  over 
the  furface  of  things,  in  a  curious  or  wander- 
ing fearch  of  infinite  variety  -,  ever  hearing, 
reading,  or  afking  after  fornething  new,  but 
impatient  of  any  labour  to  lay  up  and  pre- 
ferve  the  ideas  they  have  gained  :  their  fouls 
may  be  compared  to  a  looking-glafs,  that 
wherefoever  you  turn  it,  it  receives  the  im- 
ages cf  all  objects,  but  retains  rone. 

LOGIC,   p.    73. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


R    E    A     V    I    N    G. 

IF  the  books  which  you  read  arc  your 
own,  mark  with  a  pen,  or  a  pencil,  the  molt 
considerable  things  in  them  which  you  defire. 
to  remember.  Thus  you  may  read  that  book. 
the  fecond  time  over  with  half  the  trouble, 
by  your  eye  running  over  the  paragraphs  which 
your  pencil  has  noted.  It  is  but  a  very  weak, 
objection  againft  this  practice*,  to  fay,  I  ft  all 
fpoil  my  hook  $  for  I.  perfuade  myfelf,  that  you 
did  not  buy  it  as  a  book-feller,  to  fel!  it  again 
for  gain,  but  as  a  fcholar,  to  improve  your 
mind  by  it  ;  and  if  the  mind  be  improved, 
your  advantage  is  abundant,  though  your 
book  yields  leis  money  to  your  executors. 
This  advice  of  writing,  marking,  and  review- 
ing your  remarks,  refers  chiefly  to  thofe  oc- 
casional notions  you  meet  with  either  in  read* 
ing  or  in  converiation  :  but  when  you  are 
directly  or  profefiedly  purfuing  any  fubject  of 
knowledge  in  a  good  iyftem,  in  your  younger 
years,  the  fyftem  itfeif  is  your  common-place 
book,  and  mud  be  entirely  reviewed.  The 
fame  may  be  faid  concerning  any  treatife 
which  clofely,  fuccinctly,  and  accurately  han- 
dles any  genicular  theme> 

WiS,  p.  75- 


32'  THE   BEAUTIES  Gi<    DR.  V/_ 


THE  BOUNTY  OF  THE  CREATOR. 

WHAT  is  more  necefiary  for  the  fupporr: 
of  life,  than  food  ?  Behold,  the  earth  is  cov- 
ered with  it  all  around  ;  grafs,  herbs,  and 
fruits,  for  beads  and  men,  were  ordained  to 
overfpread  all  the  furrace  of  the  ground,  fa- 
that  an  animal  could  fcaree  wander  any  where, 
but  his  food  was  near  him.  Amazing  pro- 
vifion  for  fuch  an  immenfe  family  !  —  Whar 
are  the  fweeteft  colours  in  nature,  the  mod 
delightful  to  the  eye,  and  the  moil  fefrefhirig 
too  ?  Surely  the  green  and  blue  claim  this 
pre-eminence.  Common  experience,  as  well 
as  philofophy,  tells  us,  that  bodies  of  green 
and  blue  colours  fend  us  fuch  rays  of  light  to 
our  eyes,  as  are  leaf!  hurtful  or  ofJenfive  ;  we 
can  endure  them  longeft  ;  whereas  the  red 
and  yellow,  or  orange  colour,  fend  more  un* 
eafy  rays  in  abundance,  and  give  greater  con- 
fufion  and  pain  to  the  eye  ;  they  dazzle  it 
fooner,  and  tire  it  quickly  with  a  little  intent 
gazing  ;  therefore  the  divine  goodnefs  dreffed 
all  the  heavens  in  blue,  and  the  earth  in  green. 
Our  habitation  is  over*hung  with  a  canopy 
of  mod  beautiful  azure,  and  a  rich  verdant 
pavement  is  ipread  under  our  feet,  that  the 
eye  mav  be  pleafed  and  eafy  whereloever  it 
turns  itfelf,  and  that  the  mod  univeriiil-ob--- 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  3£ 

jects  it  has  to   converfe  with,  might  not  im- 
pair the  fpirits  and  make  the  fenfe  weary. 

I. 

TVREN  God  the  new-made  world 'furvey'd, 
His  word  pronouncd  the  building  geod: 

Sun- beams  and  light  the  heavens  array  'd, 
And  the  whole  earth  was  crown  d  with  food* 

31. 

Colours  that  charm  and  pleafe  the  eye, 
His  pencil  fpread  all  nature  round : 

With  pleafing  bhie  he  arch'd  the  fiy, 
And  a  green  carpet  drefsd  the  ground. 

III. 

Let  envious  atheifis  ne'er  complain 
That  nature  wants,  or  fit  11  >  or  care  : 

But  tu>n  their  eyes  all  round  in  vain, 
T  avoid  their  Maker's  goodnefs  there. 

M1SCE1.  THOUGHTS,  p.   36* 


WONDER. 

WHEN  we  perceive  any  objecl  that  is 
rare  and  uncommon.,  that  is,  new  and  ftrange, 
either  for  its  kinds,  or  for  its  qualities  -,  or 
%vhen  we  meet  with,  fuch  an  occurrence  or 


J4  ia£    BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

event  as  is  unufual  or  unexpected  ;  or  fuclY 
as  is,  at  lead,  unufual  atfuch  a  particular  time 
and  place  ;  we  are  flruclc  with  admiration  or 
wonder  :  and  that  without  any  confideration 
whether  the  object  be  valuable  or  worthlefs, 
whether  it  be  good  or  evil.  We  wonder  at 
a  very  great  or  a  very  little  man,  a  dwarf  or  a 
giant  ;  at  a  very  little  horfe,  at  a  huge  fnake 
or  toad,  at  an  elephant,  or  a  whaie,  or  a  com- 
et, or  at  any  rare  performances  of  art,  as  mov- 
ing machines,  fuch  as- clocks,  watches,  with 
a  variety  of  uncommon  motions  and  opera- 
tions :  we  wonder  at  a  piece  of  extraordina- 
ry wit,  fkill,  or  learning  ;  even  at  artificial 
trifles,  as  a  fl  a  kept  alive  in  a  chain  ;  at  any 
uncommon  appearances  in  nature  discovered 
by  a  telefcope,  a  microfcope,  &c.  Admira- 
tion has  no  regard  to  the  agreeablenefs  or  dif- 
agreeablenefs  of  the  object,  but  only  to  the 
rarity  of  it.  And  for  this  reafbn  wonder  feems 
to  be  the  firft  of  the  panTons. 

DOCTRINE  OF    THE  PASSIONS,  p.    lj: 

Let  it  be  obferved,  that  this  pafiion  has 
properly  no  oppofite  ;  becaufe,  if  the  objecxv 
be  not  rare  or  new,  or  if  the  appearance  be 
not  ludden  or  unexpected,  but  a  mere  com- 
mon or  familiar  thing,  or  an  unexpected  oc- 
currence, we  receive  it  with  great  calmnefs,. 
and  feel  no  fuch  commotion  or'  nature  about 
ii  :  we  treat  it  with  neglect,  inllead  oi  wonder. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATT 5.         35 

Now  neglect  is  no  paflion.     The  reft  of  the 
paffiofts,  at  leaft  the  moft  of  them,  go  in  pairs* 

DOCTRINE    CF     THE     PASSIONS,  p.    iS. 


BENEVOLENCE  AND  COMPLACENCY. 

BENiEVOLENCE  is  ibmetimes  laid  out 
upon. an  object  that  has  no  fuch  prefentg-od 
in  it  as  we  can  defire  or  delight  in,  but  only 
fotne  foundation  of  future  good,  or  fome  ca- 
pacity to  be  made  good  or  agreeable.  A  pi- 
ous man  can  never  love  wicked  men  with  the 
love  of  complacency  or  delight  ;  but  he  may 
exercife  theJove  of  benevolence  towards  them, 
to  pity  tl-em,  and  to  wifh  their  recovery.  So 
our  Saviour  couid  not  love  the  bloody  city 
of  Jeruiaiem  with  complacency,  becaufe  it 
killed  the  prophets,  and  bafphemed  God 
and  his  San;  but  he  loved  it  with  benevo- 
lence, and  wept  over  it  fome  tears  of  com- 
panion. 

DOCTRINE  OF   THE   PASSIONS,  p.   32. 


PASSIONS  INFLUENCED  BY  DIFFERENT  SITUATIONS 
IN  LIFE, . 

DIFFERENT  employments,  and  differ- 
ent conditions  of  life,  beget  in  us  a  tendency 
fco  our  diiterent  paAlons.     Thofe  who  are  ex- 


g*  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  I>R.  WATTS. 

lilted  above  others  in  their  daily  ftaticns,  and 
efpecially  if  they  have  to  do  with  many  per- 
ibns  under  them,  and  in  many  affairs,  are  too 
often  tempted  to  the  haughty,  the  morofe, 
the  furly,  and  the  more  unfriendly  ruffles  and 
difturbances  of  nature,  unlefs  they  watch  a- 
gainft  them  with  daily  care.  The  command- 
ers in  armies  and  navies,  the  governors  of 
work-houies,  the  mafters  of  public  fchools, 
or  thole  who  have  a  great  number  of  fervants 
under  thera,  and  a  multitude  of  cares  and 
concerns  in  human  life,  mould  continually 
let  a  guard  upon  themfelves,  left  they  get  a 
habit  of  affe6ted  iuperiority,  pride,  and  van- 
ity of  mind,  of  fretfulnefs,  impatience,  and 
criminal  anger. 

DOCTRINE  OF    THE   PASSION?,  p.  ~,1. 


TO     SUBDUE     PRIDE, 

CONSIDER  what  you  (hall  be.  Your 
flefh  returns  to  corruption  and  common  earth 
again  ;  nor  (hall  your  duft  be  diilinguilhed 
from  the  meaneft  beggar  or  flave  ;  no,  nor 
from  the  duft  of  brutes  and  infects,  or  the 
mod  contemptible  of  creatures.  And  as  for 
your  foul,  that  muft  ftand  before  God,  in  the 
world  of  fpirits,  on  a  level  with  the  reft  of 
anankind,  and  divefted  of  all  your  haughty 


THE.  BEAUTIES  OF  PR.  WATTS.  37 

and  flattering  circumftahces.  None  of  your 
vain  diftinctrons  in  this  life  fliall  attend. you. 
to  the  judgment-feat.  Keep  this  tribunal  in 
view,  and  pride  will  wither,,  and  hang  do.wn 
its  head. 

POCTRINf.    OF  THE    PASSIONS,  p.    99. 


G  R  A  C  E     A  T     M'EALS. 

THE  converfation  turned  upon  the  fub- 
je6t  of  faying  grace  before  and  after  meat. 
When  feveral  of  the  company  had  given  their 
thought^  Soeius  acknowledged  it  was  not 
neeeilary  to  offer  a  iblemn  and  particular  pe- 
tition to  heaven  on  the  oce&fion  of  every  bit 
■ot  bread  -'that  we  rafted,  or  when  we  drink  a 
glafs  of  wine  with  a  friend*;  nor  was  it  ex- 
peeled  we  mould  make  a  tbcial  prayer  when 
perfons,  each  for  themselves,  took  a  flight  re- 
ipaft  in  a  running  manner,;  either  t)ie  general 
morning  devotion  is  luppofcd  fufheient  to  re- 
commend fuch  transient  aci.ions;  and  occur- 
rences to  the  diviue  bieiTing,  or  a  fuiuen  fe- 
cret  wifh,  fent  up  to  heaven  in  filence*  might 
anfwer  fuch  a  purpofe  in  the  chriftian  life  : 
but  when  a  whole  family  fits  down  together 
to  make  a  regular  and  flated  meal,  it  was  his 
opinion,  that  the  Great  God  mould  be  ibl-' 
D 


38         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

emnly  acknowledged  as  the  giver  of  all  the 
good  things  we  enjoy.;  and-the  practice  of 
our  Saviour,  and  St.  Paul, | had  fet  us  an  il- 
hiilrious  example. 

MISCEL.    THOUGHTS,  p.    6$. 


THE    CHURC  H-Y  A  R  D. 

WHAT  a  multitude  of  being?,  noble 
.creatures,  are  here  reduced  to  duit !  .God 
has  broken  his  own  bed  work manfhip  to  pie- 
ces, and  demolished  by  thousands  the  flneft 
earthly  ftructures  of  his  own  building.  Death 
has  entered  in,  and  reigned  over  this  town 
for  many  fucccflive  centuries  ;  it  had  its  com- 
xniffion  from  God,  and  ic  has  devoured 
multitudes  of  men. 

MISCEL.  THOUGHTS,  p.    I©7. 


Go  to  the  church-yard,  then,  O  finful  ani 
though  tlefs  mortal  ;  go  learn  from  every 
tomb-done,  and  every  rifing  hillock,  that 
"-The  wages  of  fin  is  death/'  Learn  in  fi- 
lence,  among  the  dead,  that  leiibn  which  in- 
finitely-concerns  all  the  living  ;  nor  let  thy 
heart  be  ever  at  reft,  till  thou  art  acquainted 
with  Jesus,  who  is  the  re  fur  r  eftion  '■  and  the 

Misijfa,.  THOUGHTS, Jp.  XO%. 


BEAUTIES"  0~  DIT.  WAT  £9 


A    THOUGHT    ON"    D  E  A  T  H. 

DEATH,  to  a  good  man,  is  but  patting 
trough  a  dirk  entry,  out  of  one  little  dufky 
room  ot  his  father's  houfe,  into  another  that 
is  fair  and  large,  lightfome  and- glorious,  and 
divinely  entertaining.  O,  may-the  Fays  and 
iplendors  of  my  heavenly  apartment  moot  far 
downward,  and  gild  the  dark  entry  with  fuch 
a  chearful  gleam,  as  to  bani-fh  every  fear  when 
]  fhall  be  called  to  pais  through  !" 

MISCZL.T>:0TJGHT3,  p.    I20. 


HUMAN  EXCELLENCIES  AND  DEFECTS. 

THERE  is  nothirg  on  earth  excellent  on 
all  fides  j  there  muft  be  ibmething  wanting: 
in  the  beft  of  creatures,  to  fhewhow  far  they 
are  from  perfection.  God  has  wifely  ordained 
it,  that  excellencies  and  defects  fhould  be 
mingled  amongft  men  ;  advantage  and  dif- 
ad vantage  are  thrown  into  the.  balance  ;  the 
one  is  let  over-againft  the  other,  that  no  man 
might  be  iupremely  exalted,  and  none  utter- 
ly contemptible. 

MISCEL.   THOVGKTS,  p.   J47. 


y         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS*. 


S    E     L    F  -  L     O     V     E. 

YOUTH  is  wild  and  licentious.  In  thofe 
yeaip,  we  perfuade  ourfelves  that  we  are  only 
making  a  juft  ufe  of  liberty.  In  that  fcepe 
of  folly  we  are  light  and  vain,  and  fet  no 
bounds  to  the  froiick  humour  ;  yet  we  fancy. 
it  is  merely  an  innocent  gaiety  of  heart,  which 
belongs  to  the  fprings  of  nature,  and  the 
blooming  hours  of  life.  In  the  age  of  man- 
hood, a  rugged  or  a  haughty  temper  is  angry 
or  quarrelibme.;  t*he  frettul  and  the  peevifh 
in  elder  years,  if  not  before,  are  ever  kindling 
into  paffion  and  refentment  ;  but  they  all  a- 
gree  to  pronounce  their  furious  or  fretful  con- 
duct a  mere  necefTiry  reproof  of  the  indigni- 
ties which  were  offered  them  by  the  world. 
Self-love  is. fruitful  of  fine  names  for  its  own 
iniquities.  Others  are  lordid  and  covetous 
to  a  ihameful  degree,  uncompaffionate  and 
cruel  to  the  miferable  ;  and  yet  they  take 
this  vile  practice  to  be  only  a  juft  exercife  of 
frugality,  and  a  dutiful  care  of  their  own  houf- 
;'.olo\  Thus,  every  vice  that  belongs  to  us, 
is  conftrued  ink)  a  virtue  ;  and,  if  there  are 
any  fhadows  or  appearances  of  virtue  upon 
us,  theie  poor  appearances  and  ihadows  are 
magnified  and  realized  into  the  divine  quali- 
ties of  an  angel.  We,  who  pafs  thefe  jufl 
cenfures  on   the  follies  of  our  acquaintance.. 


THE  BEAUTIES  ©F  DR.  WATTS.  41 

qerhaps  approve  the  very  fame  things  in  our- 
ielves,  by  the  influence  of  the  fame  native- 
principle  of  flattery  and  felf-fondnefs. 

MISCEL.   THOUGHTS,  p.    I57, 


TRUST  IN  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 

THEY  that  have  trufted  in  the  Son  of 
God,  begin  to  find  peace  in  their  own  con- 
ferences 5  they  can  hope  God  is  reconciled  to 
them  through  the  blood  of  Chrift,  that  their 
iniquities  are  atoned  for,  and  that  peace  is 
made  betwixt  God  and  them.  This  belongs 
only  to  the*  doctrine" 'of  Chrift,  and  witneiles 
it  to  be  divine  $  for  there  is  no  religion  that 
ever  pretended -to  lay -fuch  a  foundation  of 
pardon  and  peace>  as  the  religion  of  the  Son 
of  God  does  ;  for  he  has  made  himfelf  a  pro- 
pitiation -,  jefus  the  Righteous  is  become  our 
reconciler,  by  becoming  a  facrifice:  Rom.'m. 
25.  "  Him  that  God  let  forth  for  a  propi- 
if  tiation,  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  de- 
clare his  righteoulnefs  for  the  remiffion  of 
w'  fins  that  are  paft  5  that  he  might  be  juft^ 
"  and  tbejufiifier  of  him  that  believes  in  Je- 
"  lus  :  Therefore,  being  juftified  by  faith,  we 
4t  have  peace  with  God.  Rom.  v.  if,  Behold 
^the  Lamb  of  God,  that  takes  away  the  fins 
D  2 


42  THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.   WATTS. 

"  of  the  world  !"  was  the  language  of John, « 
who  was  but  the  forerunner  of  our  religion,, 
and  took  a  profpecl  of  it  at  a  little  diftance  : 
and  much  more  of  the  particular  glories  and 
bleffings  of  this  atonement  is  difplayed  by  the 
bleffed  Apoftles,  the  followers  of  the  Lamb. 
Other  religions,  that  have  been  drawn  from 
the  remains  of  the  light  of  nature,  or  that 
have  been  invented  by  the  iunerftitious  fears 
and  fancies  of  men,  and  obtruded  on  mankind 
by  the  craft  of  their  fellow -creatures,  are  at  a 
lofs  in  this  inflance,  and  cannot  fpeak  folid 
peace  and  pardon. 

SERMONS,  VOl.  I.  p.   II. 


CONTEMPT  OF  THE  TRIFLES  OF  THIS.  WORLD. 

IF  we  look  upward  to  Heaven,  we  fliall 
behold  there  ail  the  inhabitants  looking  down 
With  a  facred  contempt  upon  the  trifles,  amufe- 
merits,  bufineffes  and- cares  of  this  prefent  life, 
that  engrofs  our  affections,  awaken  ourdefires, 
fill  our  hearts  with  pleaiure  or  pain,  and  our 
flelh  with  conftant  labour.  With  what  holy 
fcorn  do  you  think  thofe  fouis,  who  are  dif- 
miifed  from  flefh,  look  down  mon  the  hurries 
and  bu (ties  of  the  prefent  ftate  in  which  we 
are  engaged  ?  They  dwell  in  the  full  fight  of 
thofe  glories  which  they  hope  for  hereon  earthy. 


THE   BEAUTIES   OF   DR.  WATTS.  4-T 

and  their  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  plea- 
fares  of  that  upper  world,  and  the  divine  fen- 
fations  that  are  raifed  in   them  there,   make 
t!:  em' contemn  all  the  pleafures  of  this  flate, 
and  every  thing  below  heaven.    This  is  a  part 
of  eternal  life;  this  belongs,  in  fome  degree, 
to  every  believer  :  for  he  is  not  a  believer  that 
h  not  got  above  this  world  in  a  good  meaf- 
ure  ;  he  is  not  a  chriftian,  who  is  not  wean- 
ed, in  -fome  degree,  from  this  world  :    "  For 
Ci  this  is  our  victory,  whereby  weovercorne 
"  the  world,  even  our  faith."     i   John,  v.  4. 
«  He  that  is   born  of  God,  overcomes  the 
<c  world  ;  he  that  believes  in  Jefus*  is  born  of 
"  God."     Whence  the  argument  is  plain,  he 
that  believes  in  Jefus,  the  Son  of  God,  over- 
comes this  prefjnt  world.     And  where  cnrif- 
tknity  is  raifed  to  a  good  degree  of  life  and 
power  in  the  foul,  where  we  fee  the  chriftian 
got  near  to  heaven  ;  he  js,  as  it  were,  a  fellow 
for  angels,  a  fit  companion  for  the  "Spirits 
of  the  juft  made  perfect.."    The  affairs  of  this 
life  are  beneath  his  bed  defires  and  his  hopes  5 
he  engages  his  hand  in   them   fo  far  as  God 
his  Father  appoints  his  duty  3    but  be  longs 
ior  the  upper  world,  w here  his  hopes  are  gone 
before  :  u  When  mail  I  be  entirely  difmiflTed 
"  from   this  labour  and  toil  ?     The  gaudy 
<c  pleafures  this  world  entertains  me  with,  are 
iS  no  entertainments  to  me >    Tarn  weaned 
"  from  them,  I  am  born  for  above."     This 
Is  the  .language  of  that  faith  that  overcomes. 


44'-         X  H  trr  E  E*A  \j  Tt  f  E£  O  F-  D  R .  W  A  T  T  S .  - 

the  world  ,  and  faith,  where  it  is  wrought  irc 
truth  in  the  lout,  hath,  in  lome  meafure,  this 
effed  ;  .and  where  it  (nines  in  its  brightnefs,. 
it  hath,  in  a  great  degree,  this  iubiime  grace, 
accompanying  it  ;  or  rather,  (fhall  1  lay  ?).* 
this  piece  of  heavenly  glory.  Fain  and  fick- 
nefs.,  poverty  and  reproach,  .for  row  and  death 
it.felf,  have  been  contemned  by  thoie  that 
have  believed  in  Chrift  Jeius,  with  much  more 
honour  to  Chriftianity  than  ever  was  brought 
to,  other  religions. 

SERMONS,  V.    I.   p.  24. 


INIMITABLE  PERFECTION  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

THE  gofp?l  of  Chrift  is  like  «  feal  or  fig. 
net,  of  fuch  divine  graving,  that  no  created 
power  can  counterfeit  it  j  and  when  the  fpir- 
it  of  God  has  (lamped  this  gofpel  on  the  foul, 
there  are  fo-many  holy  and  happy  lines  drawn 
or  imprelTed  thereby*  \o  many  lac  red  figna- 
tures  and  divine  features  ftamped  on  the 
mind,  that  give  certain  evidence  both  of  a 
heavenly  fijguet  and  a  heavenly  Operator. 


ttHE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  4£ 


PROSPECT    OF    DEATH. 

*f  HOW  mould  we  rejoice  in  hope  of  that 
^  hour  that  mall  releafe  us  from  the  finful 
ft  flefh  ;  and  when  we  fhall  ferve  God  in  fpi- 
"  rit  without  a  clog,.,  without  a  tempter ■!"' 
O,  with  what  a  relifh  of  ("acred  pleafure  mould 
a  faint  read  thofe  words  in  2  Cor.  v.  8. 
"  Abfent  from,  the  body,  and  prefent  with 
"  the  Lord  ?"  Abfent  trorn-  this  traitor,, 
this  vexing  enemy,  that  we  conftanily  carry 
about  with  us  !  Abfent  from  the  clog  and 
chain  of  this  finful  flefh,  the  prifon  wherein 
we  are  kept  in  conftant  darknefs,  and  are  con- 
fined from  God  !'  Abfent  from  thefe  eyes, 
that  have  drawn  our  fouls  afar  from  God  by- 
various  temptations  ■'!  And  abfent  from  thefe 
ears,  by  which  we  have  been  allured  totranf- 
grefhon  and  defiling  iniquities  !  Abfent  from 
thefe  lufts  and  pafiions,  Irom  that  fear  and 
that  hope,  that  pleafure  and  that  pain,  that 
love,'  that  defire,  and  anger,  which  are  ail  car- 
nal,, and  feated  in  the  flefhy  nature,  and  be- 
come the  fpring  and  occaiion  of  fo  much  fin 
and  mifchief  to  our  fouls  in  this  flate. 
%c  Abfent  from  the  body,  and  prefent  with 
"  the  JLord."  Methinks  there  is  a  heaven 
contained  in  the  -firft  part  of  thefe  words,. 
"  Abfent  from  the  body  r'  and  a  double  hap— 
pinefs  in  the  laft,  "-Prefent  wkh  the  Lord  f* 


46  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS; 

prefent  with  him  who  hath  faved  our  fpirits 
through  all  the  days  of  our  chriftian.  conflict 
and  hath-given  us  the  fmal Victory  :  prefent 
with  that  God,  who  (hall  eternally  influence 
us  to  all  holinefs,  who  fhall  forever- {bine  up- 
on us  with  his  own- beams,  and  make  us  con- 
formable to  his  own  holy  image  ;;  prefent 
with  that  Lord  and  Saviour,,  from  whom  it 
fliall  not  be  in 'the;  power  of  all  creatures  to 
divert  or  draw  us  afide. 

SIMMONS,  V.    J.  p.  90. 


SUBSTANCE. OF  NATURAL  RELIGION. 


DOUBTLESS  man  mud  know  and  be- 
Heve,  in  the  fir  ft  place,  that  there  is  a  God/ 
and  that  this  God  is  but  One  ;  for  God  is  too. 
}ealous  of  his.  honour  and  dignity,  and  too 
much  concerned  in  this  important  point,  to- 
kvifh  out  happrneis,  and  his  heavenly  favours, 
on  any.  per  Ion  who  makes  other  gods  to  be- 
come his  rivals ;  or  who  exalts  a  creature,  or 
a  mere -chimera*  into  the  throne  of  God.  He, 
muft  believe,  alio,  that,  .God  is  a  being  of  per- 
fect wifdom,  power,  and  goodnels,  and  that 
he  is  the  righteous  Governor  of  the  world. 

Man  muft  alio  know,  that  he  himfelf  is  a. 
creature  of  God,  furnifhed  with  a  faculty  of> 
^nderftanding  to  perceive  the  general  differ- 


THE  BEAUTIES- OF  DR.  WATTS.  47 

ence  between  good  and  evil,  in  the  moft  im- 
portant inftances  of  it  ^  and  endowed  with  a 
will,  which  is  a  power  to  chufe  or  to  refufe 
the  evil  or  the  good  ;  that  he"  is  obliged  to 
exert  theie  powers  or  faculties  in  a  right  man- 
ner, both  towards  God  and  Howards  hi mfelf, 
as  well  as  his  neighbour.  I  do  not  infill  up- 
on it,  that  he  muft  know  thefe  proportions 
explicitly,  and  in  a.  philosophical  manner  $ 
but- ue  muft  have  fome  fort  of  confcioufnefs 
of  bis  own  natural  powers,  to  know  and  dil- 
tingurfh,  to  chufe  or  to  refufe  good  or  evil, 
and  mult  be  fenfibie  of  his  obligations  to  ia- 
quire  and  practice  what  is  good,  andt®  avoid 
what  is  evil. 

As  for  the  duties  that  relate  to  God,:  man 
is  obi-ged  to  woffhip  him  -with  reverence,  to 
honour  him  in  his  heart  and  life,  on  account 
of  his  wiidom  and  power  manifefted  in  the 
world  ;  to  fear  his  Majeftv,  to  love  him,  and 
hope  in  his  goodnefs,  to  give  him  thanks  for 
what  inftances  of  it  he  partakes  of,  to  fek  to_ 
him  for  what  biefiings  he  wants,  and  to  carry' 
it  toward  him  as  his  Maker,  his  Lord,  and 
his  Governor. 

He  muft  know  alfo,  that  finee  God'  is  a 
u  righteous  Governor,"  if  he  does  not  make 
good  men  happy 'in  this  world,  and  the  wick- 
ed miferabie,  then  there  -  mud  be  another 
world,  wherein  he  will-  appoint  fome  -happi-/- 
nefs  for  the  good,  and.rmiery  for  the  wicked  ; 
<Cff  io  general,  that  he  will- foi^e  time  or  other 


J$  T.EEl  B.tfA U T I  E S  (SB  1> H •  WATT 

diftribute  rewards  and  punifhments  to  all  per- 
ions,,  according  to  their,  behaviour  :  tor  this, 
lias  a  very  considerable  influence  into  ail  ho- 
Ijnefsoflife,  and  every  part  of  morality,  which 
will  hardly  be  practiced  without  thefe  motives. 

As  for  the  duties  which  relate  to  other  men, 
every  man  mud  know  and  believe,  that  as  he 
is  placed  here  among  a  multitude  of  fellow- 
creatures  o|  his  own  fpecies  or  kipd,  he  is 
bound  tq  practice  truth  or  veracity,  juitjee 
a4id  goodness  towaid  them,. according,  to  the 
-feveral  relations  in  which  thev  may  ftand,  as 
a  father,  brother,  fon,  lufband,  neighbour* 
fubject,  matter,  fervant,  buyer,  feller,  &c. 

And  with  regard  to  hunlelf,  he  is  bound 
toexercife  fobiiefy  and  temperance,  and  .to 
maintain  a  due  government  over  his  appe* 
tites  and  paffions,  that  they  run  not  into  ex- 
cels and  extravigance, 

And  finally,  fmce  every  man  will  frequent- 
ly find  himfelt  coming  (hort  of  his  duty  to 
God  and  man,  and  betrayed  into  fin  by  the 
ftrength  of  his  temptations,  his  appetites  and 
paffions,  in  the  various  occurrences  of  life,  he 
mult  repent  of  his  fins,  be  fincerely  forry  for 
what  he  has  done  amils,  humbly  afk  forgive - 
nefs  of  God,  and  endeavour  to  ierve  and 
pleafe  him  in  all  things  for  the  time  to  come,, 
and  ■  he  muft  exerafe  a  hope  or  truft.in  the 
mercy  of  God,  that-up^n  re;,  r.tau'  e  an  1  new 
obedience,  God  will  ioig-.\e  tinners,  and  take  . 
them  again  into  his  favour. 

S,TA£NGTM    AKO    WEAKNESS  OF  *Vt4.  REASON,   p.  X  J. 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  4$ 


THE     MAN     OFHUMIL-IT  Y. 

.  EUDOXUS  is  a  gentleman  of  exalted 
virtue  and  unitained  reputation,  every  foul 
that  knows  htm  fpeaks  well  of  him  -,  he  is  fo 
much  honoured,  and  fo  well  b^ved  in  nS 
nation,  that  he  mull  flee  his  country,  if  he 
would  avoid  praifes,  So  fenilble  is  he  of  the 
fecret  pride  that  has  tainted  human  nature, 
that  he  holds  himfelf  in  perpetual  danger, 
and  maintains  an  evcrlafuing  watch.  He  be- 
haves now  with  the  fame  modeily  as  when 
he  was  unknown  and-cbfcure.'  He  receives 
the  acclamations  of  the  world  with  fuch  an 
humble  mein'i  and  with  fuch  an  indifference 
of  Ipirit  that  is  truly  admirable  and  divine* 
It  is  a  lovely  pattern  but  the  imitation  is  not 
eaiy. — I  took  the  freedom  one  day  to  alk 
him,  how  he  acquired  this  wondercus  humi- 
lity, or  whether  he  was  born  with  no  pride 
about  him  ?  "  Ah,  no  (laid  he,  with  a  facred 
"  figh'3  I  feel  the  working  poilbii,  but  I  keep 
C£  my  antidote  at  hand  ;  when  my  friends 
CJ  lell'  me  of  many  good  qualities  and  ta- 
ct  lents,  I  have  learnt  from  St.  Paul  to  fay, 
4£  What  have  J  that  I  have  not  received  t  My 
"  own  confcioulnefs  of  many  follies  an^i  fins 
"  conftrains  me  to  add,  What' have  1  that  I 
■"  have  not  mifimp-oved  ?  And  then  reafon 
E 


JO  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

"  and  religion  join  together  to  fupprefs  my 
t:  vanity,  and  teach  me  the  proper  language 
"  of  a  creature  and  a  Tinner :  Wf-uit  then  have 
■"  lto  giory  in  ?'% 

MKCEi.    THOUGHTS,  p.  56. 


THE  B2NEV0UENCE  OF  THE  CREATOR. 

UPON  the  whole  view  .of  things,  I  think, 
from  fcripture  and  reaibn  together,  we  may 
j^iftiy  conclude,  that  where  Chrift  and  the 
gofpel  are  not  publifhed,  all  humble  and  fin- 
cere  penitents,  a/king  pardon  of  God,  and 
hoping  in  his  mercy,  (thougli  they  know  no- 
thing of  the  particular  way  or  method  wherein 
it  is,  or  hath  been,  or  (hail  be  revealed)  fhail 
jiot  laii  of  pardon  and  acceptance  with  God 
at  laft,  nor  mifs  of  lome  tokens  of  his  favour. 
This  grace  hath  Jefus  procured,  and  God 
will  beftow  it. 

STRENGTH  AND    WEAKNESS  OF   HUMAN  REA60N.  p.   f,$. 


OF  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  OUR  THOUGHTS. 

THERE  are  fome  thoughts  that  rife  and 
intrude  upon  us  while  we  Ihun  them  %  there 
are  others  that  fly  from  us,  when  we  would 


TfiE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  Jl 

hold  and  fix  them. — If  the  ideas  which  you 
would  willingly  make  the  matter  of  your  pres- 
ent meditation  are  ready  to  fly  from  you,  you 
muft  be  obftinate  in  the  purfhit  of  them  by 
an  habit  of  fixed  meditation  ;  you  muft  keep 
your  foul  to  the  work,  when  k  is  ready  to  ftart 
afide  every  moment,- unlets  you  will  abandon 
yourfeif  to  be  a  Have  to  every  wild  imagina- 
tion. It  is  a  common,  but  it  is  a  very  unhap- 
py and  a  fhamelul  thing,  thar  every  trifle  that 
comes  acrois  the  fenfes  or  fancy  lliould  divert 
us,  that  a  buzzing  My  fhould  teaze  our  fpirit~, 
and  icatter  our  bell  ideas  :  but  we  muft  learn 
to  be- deaf  to  and  resardlefs  of  other  things,, 
befides  that  which  we  make  the  prelent  fub- 
jeclof  our  meditation  ;-  and  in  order  to  help 
a  wandering  and  fickle  humour,  it  is  proper 
tb  have  a  book  or  paper  in  our  hands,  which 
has  fome  proper  hints  of  the  tubjecl  that  we 
delign  to  puriue.  We  muft  be  refolute  and 
laborious,  and  fometrmes  conflict  with  our- 
felves,  if  we  would  be  wife  and  learned. 

Yet  I  would  not  be  too  fevere  in  this  rule. 
It  muft  be  conferred,  there  are  feafons  when 
the  mind,  or  rather  the  brain,  is  over-tired  or 
jaded- with  ftudy  and  thinking  ;  or  upon  fome 
other  accounts  animal  nature  may  be  languid 
or  cloudy,  and  unfit  to  aflift  the  fpirit  in 
meditation  ;  at  lueh  feafons  (provided  that 
they  return  not  too  often)  it  is  better  fome- 
times  to  yield  to  the  preient  indilpofitioa. 
Then  you  may  think  it  proper  to  give  your- 


£2  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

felf  up  to  fome  hours  of  leifure  and  lecreation, 
or  ufcful  idlenefs  ;  or  if  not,  then  turn  your 
thoughts  to  fome  other  alluring  fubject,  and 
pore  no  longer  upon  the  nrft,  till  fome  bright- 
er or  more  favourable  moments  arife.  A  ftu- 
dent  (hall  do  more  in  one  hour,  when  all 
things  concur  to  invite  him  to  any  fpeciai 
ftudy,  than  in  four  hours,  at  a  dull  and  im- 
proper feaibn. 

LOGIC,   p.   77. 


OF  THE  ARRANGEMENT  OF  OUR  IDEAS. 

AS  a  trader  who  never  places  his  goods  in 
his  (hop  or  warehouse  in  a  regular  order,  nor 
keeps  the  accounts  of  his  buying  and  idling, 
paying  and  receiving,  in  ajufl  method,  is  in 
the  utmofl  danger  of  plunging  all  his  affairs 
into  confuiion  and  ruin  ;  lo  a  ftudcnt  who  is 
in  feanhof  truth,  or.  an  author  or  teacher  who 
communicates  knowledge  to  others,  will  very 
much  obitrucl:  his  defign,  and  confound  his 
own  mind,  or  the  minds  or  Lis  hearers,  unlefs 
he  range  his  ideas  injure,  order.  If  we  would 
therefore  become  iuccefsful  learners  or  teach- 
ers, we  mud  not. conceive  things  in  a  confufed 
heap,  but  difpofe  our  ideas  in  fome  certain 
method,  which  may  be  mod  eafy  and  ufeful 
both. for  the  underltanding  and  memory. 

LOGIC,  p.  133. 


THE   BEAUTIES"  OF  DIC.  WATTS.  $J 


ERRONEOUS    J  U  D  G  M  %  N"  T- 

WHERE  there  is  wealth,  equipage,  and 
Splendor,  we  are  ready  to  call  that  man  hap- 
py ;  but  we  lee  not  the  vexing  disquietudes 
of  his  foul  :  and  when  we  fpy  a  perfon  in  rag- 
ged garments,  we  form- a  deSpicable  opinion 
of  him  too  Suddenly  ;  we  can  hardly  think 
him  either  happy  or  wife,  our  judgment  is  So- 
biaSed  by  outward  and  tenfible  things.  It 
was  through  the  power  of  this  prejudice  that 
the  Jews  rejected  our  bkfiTed  Saviour  ;  they 
could  not  Suffer  themielves  to  believe  that 
the.  man  who  appeared  as  the  Ton  of  a  carpen- 
ter was.alfo  the  Son  of  God.  And  becaufe 
St.  f?aul  was  of  little  ftature,  a  mean  prefence, 
and  his  voice  contemptible,  Come  of  the  Co- 
rinihi&is  were  tempted  to  doubt  whether  he 
was  inlpired  or  no.  This  prejudice  is  cured 
by  a  longer  acquaintance  with  the  world,  and 
a.juft  observation  that  things  are  lometimes 
better  and  Sometimes  worft  than  they  appear 
ro  be.  We  ought  therefore  to  reftrain  our 
exceffive  ferwardnefs  to  form  our  opinion  of 
perfonsor  things  before  we  have  opportunity 
to  iearch  into  them  more  perfectly. 

tOGic,  p.  igo»- 

E  a. 


54  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

There  is  fcarce  any  thing  in  the  world  of 
nature  or  art,  in  the  world  of  morality  or  re- 
ligion, that  is  perfectly  uniform.  There  is  a 
mixture  ofwifdomand  folly,  vice  and  virtue, 
good  and  evil  both  in  men  and  things.  We 
Ihould  remember  that  fome  perfons  havegreat 
wit  and  little  judgment  -,  others  are  judicious, 
but  not  witty.  Some  are  good  humoured 
without  compliment  ;  others  have  a  1  the 
formality  of  complaifance,  but  no  good  hu- 
mour. We  ought  to  know  that  one  man  may 
be  vicious  and  learned,  while  another  has  vir- 
tue without  learning ;  that  many  a  man  thinks 
admirably  well,  who  has  a  poor  utterance  ; 
while  others  have  a  charming  manner  offpeech, 
but  their  thoughts  are  trifling  and  imperti- 
nent. Some  are  good  neighbours,  and  cour- 
teous and  charitable  towards  men,  who  have 
no  piety  towards  God  ;  others  are  truly  reli- 
gious, but  of  morofe  natural  tempers.  Some 
excellent  fayings  are  found  in  very  (illy  books, 
and  fome  filly  things  appear  in  books  of  value. 
We  mould  neither  praife  nor  difpraife  by 
wholefale,  but  feparate  the  good  from  the  e- 
vil,  and  judge  of  them  apart  :  the  accuracy 
of  a  good  judgment  confifts  in  making  fuch 
difti  net  ions. 

looir,  p.  iqi-. 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  $$ 


THE  POWER  CF  ELOQUENCE. 

WHEN  a  man  of  eloquence  fpeaks  or 
writes  upon  any  fubject,  we  are  too  ready  to 
run  into  his  fentiments,  being  fweetly  and  in- 
fenfibly  drawn  by  the  fmoothnefs  of  his  ha- 
rangue, and  the  pathetic  power  of  his  lan- 
guage. Rhetoric  will  varnifh  every  error,  fo 
that  it  fhall  appear  in  the  drefs  of  truth,  and 
put  fuch  ornaments  upon  vice,  as  to  make  it 
look  like  virtue.  It  is  an  art  of  wondrous  and 
extenfive  influence;  it, often  conceals,  ob- 
fcures,  or  overwhelms  the  truth,  and  places 
fome times  a  g-ofs  falfehood  in  the  mod  al- 
luring light.  The  decency  of  action,  the  mu- 
fic  of  the  voice,  the  harmony  of  the  periods, 
the  beauty  of  the  fcile,  and  all  the  engaging 
airs  of  the  fpeaker,  have  often  charmed  the 
hearers  into  error,  and  periuaded  them  to  ap- 
prove whatibever  is  propofed  in  fo  agreeable 
a  manner.  A  large  aflembly  ftands  expofed 
at  once  to  the  power  of  thefe  prejudices,  and 
imbibes  them  all.  So  Cicero  and  Demoflhenes 
made  the  Romans  and  the  Athenians  believe 
almoft  whatfoever  they  pleafed. 

The  Deft  defence  againft  both  thefe  dangers, 
is  to  learn  the  fkill  (as  much  as  pofiible;  of 
feparating  our  thoughts  and  ideas  from  words 
and  phrafes,  to  judge  of  the  things  from  their 
own  natures,  and  in  their  natural  or  juft  rela? 


5$'        THE   BEAUTIES  OF .  DR,  WATTS, 

tion  to  one  another,  abftracted  from  the  ufo 
of  language,  and  to  maintain  a  fteady  and 
obftinate  refolution,  to  hearken  to-  nothing 
but  truth,  in  whatfoever  ftile  or  dreis  it  ap- 
pears. 

LOGICi  p.    I97. 


OBEDIENCE    TO    THE    LAWS. 

THE  correcTion  or  amendment  of  the  par- 
ticular offender,  is  not  the  only  end  of  pun- 
ifhment,  but  the  vindication  of  the  wiidonx 
andjultice  of  the  lawgiver,  and  his  law,  which 
are  like  to  be  iniuTted,  and  the  laws  continu- 
ally broken  afrefh,  if  offences  were  always 
paffed  by  with  impunity,  .and  if  the  criminal 
were  always  pardoned  upon  repentance.  It 
is  neceflary  for  a  governor  lometimes  to  teach 
his  fubje&s  what  an  evil  thing  it  is  to  tranf- 
grefs  his  law,  by  the  proper  punifhment  of 
thofe  who  offend.  The  honour  and  author- 
ity of  government  muft  be  lometimes  fup- 
ported  and  vindicated  by  fuchfeverities;  and 
though  it  may  pleafe  a  fdvereign  fometimes. 
to  pardon  an  offender,  out  of  his  great  good- 
nefs,  when  he  is  truly  penitent  for  his  crime, 
yet  no  degrees  of  penitence  can  allure  the  of- 
fender that  he  (hall  certainly  and  entirely  be 
forgiven,  or  can  claim forgivenefs  at  the  hands 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS,  57 

of  the  fovereign  ;  bccaufe  repentance  makes 
no  recompence  at  ail  for  the  d; (honour  done 
to  the  authority  of  rhe  law,  and  of  him  that 
made  it.  His  future  obedience  is  all  due,  if 
he  had  never  finned  ;  and  therefore  it  cannot 
compenfate  for  paft  neglects  and  tranlgref- 
fions. 

STRENGTH  AND  WEAKNESS  OF  HUMAN  REASON,  p.  Sz, 


SALVATION    PROCURED    THROUGH    THE    MEDIA= 
TIQN  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

I  AM  perfuaded,  that  God  never. did  or 
wi  11~  forgive  the  fins,  of  any  man  upon  earth,, 
whether  Jew,  Heathen,  or  Chriftian,  nor  re- 
ceive any  of  our  finful  race  into  his  favour, 
but  upon  the  account  of  what  Jefus  C.hrift 
his  (orr,  the  Mediator,. has  done  and  fuiTered,. 
for  the  atonement  and  expiation  of  fin,  and 
the  recovery  of  man  to  the  favour  of  God  : 
(o  that  if  Heathens  are  faved,  I.  think  it  is 
owing  to  the  mejit  of  Chrift,  and  his  death. 
<(  There  is  falvation  in  no  other,  nor  is 
"  there  any  other  name  whereby  man  may 
"  be  laved."  If  any  of  thofe  who  never 
heard  of  Chrift  might  be  faved  with- 
out the  influence  of  his  atonement  and  me- 
diation, why  might  not  they  that  have  heard 
of  him  be  faved  without  it  alfp  ?  Thus  there 


5$  THE  B'EAtTTIES  OF  DR*  WATTS. 

would  be  no  need  of  him  to  become  a  medi- 
ator, or  to  make  atonement  for  the  fins  of 
one  or  the  other,  and  thus  Chrift  would  have 
lived  and  died  to  very  little  purpofe. 

STRENGTH    AX2    WEAK.    OF    HUM.  REASON,  J<L    104. 


SALVATION    TO   BE    EXTENDED    TO    THOSE    WHO 
HAVE  NOT  BELIEVED  IN  OUR  BLESSED  SAVIOUR. 

^  THOUGH  I  fuppofe  no  man  fhall  be 
faved  but  by  virtue  of  the  mediation  and 
death  or  Chrift,  nor  dotH  the  gofpel  permit 
me  to  allow  falvaiion  to  thole  who  wilfully 
and  finally  reject  it,  under  clear  light. and' 
evidence  ;  yet  there  is-  good  rcafonto  believe, 
that  there  have  been  many  finner-  actually 
laved,  who  never  believed  in  Jelus  Chrift  the 
Son  of  Mary,  nor  ever  heard  of  his  name, 
nor  had  any  notion  of  his  atoning  death  and 
facririce.  Such  were  fome  of  the  early  des- 
cendants of  Noah,  who  lived  long  before 
this  name  was  known-  in  the  world,  among 
whom  we  may  reckon  Abimelcch  king  of  the 
Philiftines,  Melchifedec  king  of  Salem,  Job- 
in  the  land  of  Uz,  with  his  tour  friends,  and 
many  others,  who  feared  God,  and  wrought 
righteoufnels  :  and  fuch  were  many  good 
men  among  the  Jew< ,  who  might  be  made 
partakers  of   the  benefits  of  the  death   of 


THE  BEAUTIES  GF  DR.  WATTS.         5$ 

Chrift,  and  his  facrifice,  though  they  had  no 
genial  notion  of,  inch  a  ior-t  of  Meffiah, 
or  Saviour,  as  was  to  be  made  a  facrifi  e  for 
the  fins  of  men:  nor  ft  this  at  a!'  incredible, 
fmce  St.  Peter  himfelf,  who  had  been  a  dif- 
ciple  of  Chrift  fo  long,  did  not  believe  this 
doctrine  even  a  little  before  his  mailer's  death, 
when  he  complimented  his  mailer  concern- 
ing his  crucifixion,  Matt.  xv.  22.  and  laid, 
*'  Be  it  far  from  thee,  Lord,  this  ihall  not  be 
•unto  thee/' 

Nor  is  it  unreafonable  to  have  the  fame 
charitable  thoughts  concerning  feveral  other 
perlbns  of  the  heathen  world,  during  the  con- 
tinuence  of  the  Jew'ifh  church  and  ilaie,  who 
iiad  either  maintained  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  God,  by  tradition  from  Nouh,  or  recov- 
ered it  by  converie  with  the  Jews,  and  wor- 
shipped him  as  a  God  of  juflice  and  mercy, 
with  feat  and  hope  :  fuch  was  Cornelius  the 
centurion,  and  Lydia,  and  feveral  others,  who 
were  called  devout  peribns,  and  fuch  as  fear- 
ed or  worfhipped  God,  in  the  hiilory  of  the 
Acls,  chap.  x.  7.  and  xvi.  14.  xvii.  4.  and  xu 
2.  And  it  is  poflible,  that  fince  the  firft 
age  of  chriflianity  there  may  have  been  fome 
fuch  religious  perfons,  of  this  fame  character, 
who  were  faved,  though  they  never  heard  the 
•doctrine  of  Jefus  (Thrift  ;  for  if  they  had  Co 
much  religion  as  would  have  faved  them  be- 
fore that  time,  fureiy  they  Ihall  never  be  ex- 


&D  TH£    EEAtfTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

eluded  from  (alvation  for  want  of  hearing  of 
the  doctrine  or  Chrilt,  if  they  did  not  lie  \uth- 
in  the  reach  of  it. 

STRENGTH  ANB  WEAKMS3   OF   HUMAN  REASON,  p.    Io6. 


THE  BLESSINGS  RESULTING  FROM  PRAYER. 

THERE  is  fuch  a  thing  as  converfe  with 
God  in  prayer,  and  it  is  the  life  and  pleafure 
of  a  pious  ioi:.l  ;  without  it  we  are  no  chrif- 
tians  -,  and  he  that  practiles  it  mofr,  is  the  beft 
follower  of  Chrift  ;  for  our  Lordipent  much 
time  in  convene  with  his  Heavenly  Father. 
This  is  halm  that  eales  the  moil  raging  pains 
of  the  mind,  when  the  wounded  conicience 
comes  to  ite  mercy- feat,  and  finds  pardon 
aftd  peace  there.  This  is  the  cordial  that 
Tevives  and  exalts  our  natures,  whenthe  ipirir, 
bfo!  en  with  forrows,  and  armoft  fainting  to 
death,  draws  near  to  the  Almighty  Phyfinany 
an  \  is  healed  and  refrefhed.  The  mercy-Vat 
in  heaven  is  our  lure  ft  and  fweefeft  refuge  in 
every  hour  of  diftrefs  and  darknefs  upon  earth : 
this  is  our  daily  lupport  and  belief,  while  we 
are  pafling  through  a  world  of  temptations 
and  hardships  in  the  way  to  the  promifed 
land.  "It  is  good  to  draw  near  to  God*" 
Pjal.  lxxhi.  28. 

SERMONS,  VCL.   J,   p,    III 


?FE£  BEAUTIES   OF  DR.  WATTS.  6l 


LESSON    OF    HUMILITY, 

THINK  what  a  numberlcfs  variety  of 
tqueftions  and  difficulties  there  are  belonging 
to  that  particular  fcience,  in  which  you  have 
made  the  greatefl  progrefs,  and  how  few  of 
•them  there  are  in  which  you  have  arrived  at  a 
final  and  undoubted  certainty  ;  excepting  on- 
ly thofe  queftions  in  which  the  pure  and  fim- 
-pie  mathematics,  whole  theorems  are  demon - 
flrable  and  leave  fcarce  any  doubt  ;  and  yet 
•even  in  thepurmit  offome  few  of  thefe,  man- 
kind have  been  firangely  bewildered. 

Spend  a  few  thoughts  fbmetimes  on  the 
puzzling  enquiries  concerning  vacuums  and 
atoms,  the  doctrine  of  infinites,  indivifibles 
and  incommenfurables  in  geometry,  wherein 
there  appear  fome  infolvable  difficulties  :  do 
this  on "  purpofe  to  give  you  a  more  fenfible 
impreflion  of  the  poverty  of  your  understand- 
ing, and  the  imperfection  of  your  knowledge. 
This  will  teach  you  what  a  vain  thing  it  is  to 
fancy  that  you  know  all  things,  and  will  in- 
flrucc  you  to  think  modeflly  of  your  prefent 
attainments,  when  every  duft  of  the  earth, 
and  every  inch  of  empty  fpace  furmounts 
your  undemanding,  and  triumphs  over  your 
prefumption.  Ariihmo  had  been  bred  up  to 
accounts  all  his  life,  and  thought  himlelf  a 
F  * 


Ci  THIS  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WAITS. 

complete  matter  of  numbers.  But  when  he 
was  pumed  hard  to  give  the  Square-Root  of 
the  number  2,  he  tried  at  it,  and  laboured 
long  in  millefimal  fractions,  till  he  confeffed 
there  was  no  end  of  the  enquiry  5  and  yet  he 
learnt  fo  much  modefty  by  this  perplexing 
queftion,  that  he  was  afraid  to  fay,  "  It  was 
"  an  impoffible  thing."  'Tis  fome  good  de- 
gree of  improvement  when  we  are  atraid  to 
be  pofitive. 

Read  the  accounts  of  thofe  vaft  treafures 
of  knowledge  which  fome  of  the  dead  have 
pofTefled,  and  fome  of  the  living  do  pofTefs. 
Read  and  be  aftoniflied  at  the  almoft  incred- 
ible advances  which  have  been  made  in  fci- 
ence.  Acquaint  yourfelves  with  fome  per- 
fons  of  great  learning,  that  by  converfe  among 
their,  and  comparing  yourfelves  with  them, 
you  may  acquire  a  mean  opinion  of  your  own 
attainments,  and  may  thereby  be  animated 
with  new  zeal,  to  equal  them  as  far  as  pofli- 
t>!e,  or  to  exceed  :  thus  let  your  diligence  be 
quickened  by  a  generous  and  laudable  emu- 
lation. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  MIND,  TART   I,  F.  8. 


DOGMATISM     CENSURED. 

MAINTAIN  a  conftant  watch  at  al!  times 
jagainfl  a  dogmatical  lpirit  :  fix  not  your  af- 
fcnt  to  any  proportion  in  a  firm  and  unaltera- 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  6j 

ble  manner,  till  you  have  fome  firm  and  un- 
alterable ground  for  it,  and  till  you  have  ar- 
rived at  lomt  clear  and  fare  evidence  ;  till 
you  have  turned  the  proportion  on  all  fides, 
and  fearched  the  matter  through  and  through, 
fo  that  you  cannot  be  miftaken.  And 
even  where  you  think  you  have  full  grounds 
of  ailiirance,  be  not  too  early,  nor  too  fre- 
quent, in  expre fling  this  affurance  in  too 
peremptory  and  politive  a  manner,  remem- 
bering that  human  nature  is  always  liable  to 
miitake  in  this  corrupt  and  feeble  (late. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF   THE  MIND,   PART    I,   P.    1 8, 


A  DOGMATICAL  fpirit  inclines  a  mab 
to  be  cenforious  of  his  neighbours,  kvery 
one  of  his  opinions  appears  to  him  written  as 
it  were  with  funbeams,  and  he  growa  angry 
that  his  neighbour  does  riot  fee  it  in  die  lame 
light.  He  is  tempted  to  difdain  his  correi- 
pondents  as  men  of  low  and- dark  underftand- 
jngs,  becaufe  they  do  not  believe  what  he  does, 

IMPROVEMENT  OF   THE   MIND,  PART    I,  P.    20. 


M    E    D     I    T    A    T    I     O    K. 

MEDITATION  or  Study  includes  all 
thole  exercifes  of  the  mind  whereby  we 
render  all  the  former  methods  ufeful  for  our 


64         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

increafe  in  true  knowledge  and  wifdom.  'Tis 
by  meditation  we  come  to  confirm  our  mem- 
ory of  things  that  pafs  through  our  thoughts 
in  the  occurrences- of  life,  in  our  own  expe- 
riences, and  in  the  obfervationwe  make  ;  'tis 
by  meditation  that  we  draw  various  inferen- 
ces, and  eftablifh  in  our  minds  general  prin- 
ciples of  knowledge  :  'tis  by  meditation  that 
we  compare  the  various  ideas  which  we  derive 
from  our  fenfes,  or  from  the  operation  of  our 
fouls,  and  join  them  in  proportions.  It  is  by 
meditation  that  we  fix  in  our  memory  what- 
foever  we  learn,  and  form  our  own  judgment 
of  the  truth  or  falfhood,  the  flrength  or  weak- 
ness of  what  others  fpeak  or  write.  It  is  med- 
itation or  ftudy  that  draws  out  long  chains 
of  argument,  and  fearches  and  finds  deep  and 
difficult  truths  which  before  lay  concealed  in 
darknefs. 

IMFP.OVKMFNT  OF  THE  MIND,  PART  I,  P. 


UBSI.  R  V  A  T  I  O  N. 

IT  is  owing  to  observation  that  our  mind 
isfurnifbed  with  the  firft,  iimple,  and  com- 
plex  ideas.  'Tis  this  lays  the  ground-work 
and  foundation  of  all  knowledge,  and  makes 
us  capable  of  ufing  any  of  the  other  methods 
tor  improving  the  mind:  for.  if  we  did  not 


THE  BEAUTIES   OF  DR.  WATTS.  6j 

attain  a  variety  of  fenfible  and  intellectual 
ideas,  by  the  fenfation  of  outward  objecls,  by 
the  contcioufnefs  of  our  own  appetites  and 
paflions,  pieaiures  and  pains,  and  by  inward 
experience  of  the  actings  of  our  own  fpirits  it 
would  be  impoilible  either  for  men  or  books 
to  teach  us  any  thing.  It  is  obfervation  that 
mud  give  us  our  firft  ideas  of  things,  as  it  in- 
cludes in  it  ienfe  and  confcioufnefk. 

All  our  knowledge  derived  from  obferva- 
lion,  whether  ir  be  of  tingle  ideas  or  of  pro- 
portions, is  knowledge  gotten  at  find  hand; 
Hereby  we  fee  and  know  things  as  they  are, 
or  as  they  appear  to  us  ;  we  take  the  irnpref- 
ftoas  of  them-- on  cur  minds  from  the  original 
objr-cts  themfelves,  which  give  a  clearer  and 
ftronger  conception  of  things.  Thefe  ideas 
are  more  lively,  and  the  proportions  (at  lead 
in  many  cafes)  are  much  more  evident. 
Whereas  what  knowledge  we  derive  from 
lectures,  reading,  and  converlation,  is  but  the 
copy  of  other  men's. ideas  ;  that  is  the  pic- 
ture of  a  picture  ;  and  'tis  one  remove  further 
from  the  original. 

Another  advantage  of  observation  is,  that 
we  may  gain  kno  vledge  ail  the  day  long,  and  ' 
everv  moment  of  our  iives,  and  every  moment-' 
of  our  cxiit'.rice  we  maybe  adding  fomet'iing 
to  our  intellectual  treafures  thereby,  except 
only  while  we  are  aflceo  ;  and  even  then  the 
lemembrance  of  ou.-  dreamm^s  will  teach  uj 
F  2- 


66  THE   BEAUTIES   OF  DR.   WATT!; 

fome  truths,  and  lay  a  foundation  for  a  bet- 
ter acquaintance  with  human  nature  both  in 
the  powers  and  in  the  frailties  ot  it. 

-IMPROVEMENT  OF   THE    MIND,    PART    X,  P.    34. 


ADVANTAGES  OF  READING. 

BY  reading  we  acquaint  oorfelves  in  a 
very  extenfive  manner  with  the  affairs,  ac- 
tions and  thoughts  of  the  living  and  the 
dead,  in  the  molt  remote  nations,  and  in  the. 
molt  diftant  ages  ;  and  that  with  as  much 
eafe  as  though  they  lived  in  our  own  age  and 
nation.  By  reading  of  books  we  may  learn 
fome  thing  from  all  parts  of  mankind  ;  where- 
as by  obfervation  we  learn  from  ourfelves, 
and  only  what  comers  within  our  direct  cog- 
nizance :  by  converfatien  we  can  only  enjoy 
the  affiftance  of  a  very  few  perfons,  viz.  thole 
who  are  near  us,  and  live  at  the  lame  time 
that  we  do  ;  thit  is,  our  neighbours  and  con- 
temporaries. But  our  knowledge  is  ftill  much 
more  narrowed  than  if  we  confine  ourfelves 
merely  to  our  ownlolitary  reafonings  without- 
much  obfervation  or  reading  :  for  then  all 
our  improvement  mud  aiife  only  from  our 
*>wn  inward  powers  and  meditations. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE.  MlttD,  F  A.1T   I,    P.  ■££►. 


the:  beauties  of  dr.  watts.        67 


READING  AND  CONVERSATION  CONTRASTED, 

BY  reading  we  learn  not  only  the  actions 
and  the  fentiments  of  diftant  nations  and  a- 
ges,  but  we  transfer  to  ourfelves  the  knowl- 
edge and  improvements  of  the  mod  learned 
men,  and  the  wifcft  and  the  befc  of  mankind3 
when  or  wherefoever  they  lived  :  for  though 
many  books  have  been  written  by  weak  and 
injudicious  perfons,  yet  the  moft  of  thofe 
books  which  have  obtained  great  reputation 
in  the  world,  are  the  products  of  great  and 
wife  men  in  their  feveral  ages  and  nations  :. 
whereas  we  can  obtain  the  converfation  and 
inftruction  of  thofe  only  who  are  within  the 
reach  of  our  dwelling,  or  our  acquaintance, 
•whether  they  are  wife  or  unwife  >  and  fome- 
times  that  narrow  fphere  fcarce  affords  any 
p.erfon  of  great  ernkience  in  wifdom  or  learn- 
ing, unlefs  our  inftructer  happen  to  have  this 
character.  And  as  for  our  own  ftudies  &;  med- 
itations, even  when  we  arrive  at  fome  good 
degrees  of  learning,  pur  advantage  for  further 
improvement  in  knowledge  by  them  is  ftill 
far  more  contracted  than  what  we  may  derive 
from  reading. 

When  we  read  good  authors,  we  learn  the 
beft,  the  molt  laboured  and  moft  refined  fen- 
timents even  of  thofe  wife  and  learned  men  ^ 
for  they  have  ftudied  hard,,  and  committed 


6S         THE  BEAUTIES   OF  DTI.  WATTS* 

to  writing  their  matured  thoughts,  and  the 
refult  of  their  long  ftudy  and  experience  : 
whereas  by  converfation,  and  in  fome  lec- 
tures, we  obtain  many  times  only  the  prefent 
thoughts  of  our  tutors  or  friends,  which 
(though  they  may  be  bright  and  ufeful)  yet, 
at  firft  perhaps,  may  be  fudden  and  indigeft- 
ed,  and  are  mere  hints,  which  have  rifen  to 
no  maturity. 

*Tis  another  advantage  of  reading  that  we 
may  review  what  we  have  read  ;  we  may 
confult  the  page  again  and  again,  and  medi- 
tate on  it,  at  fuccemVe  featbns  in  our  fereneft 
and  retired  hours,  having  the  book  always  at 
hand  :  but  what  we  obtain  by  converfation 
and  in  le&ures,  is  oftentimes  loft  again  as  foorr 
as  the  company  breaks  up,  or  zK  leaft  when: 
the  day  vaniihes  ;  unlets  we  happen  to  have 
the  talent  of  a  good  memory,  or  quickly  re- 
tire and  mark  down  what  remarkable*  we  have 
found  in  thofe  diicourfes.  And  for  the  fame 
jeafon,  and  for  want  of  retiring  and  writing,., 
many  a  learned  man  has  loft  feveral  uleful- 
meditations  of  his  own,  and  could  never  re- 
call them-  again. 

XMFROVEMfNT  OF   THE  MINP,  PART   I,   P.  36. 


V  E  R  B  A  L  .  I  N  S  T  R  U  CT  I  0  N. 

THERE  is  fomethrng  more  fprightly3 . 
more  delightful  and  entertaining- in.  the  living- 


TJTE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  69 

difcourfe  of  a  wife,'  a  learned,  and  well-quali- 
fied teacher,  than  there  is  in  the  lilent  and  fe- 
dentary  practice  of  reading.  The  very  turn 
of  voice,  the  good  pronunciation,  and  the  po- 
lite and  alluring  manner  which  fome  teachers 
have  attained,  will  engage  the  attention,  keep 
the  foul  fixed,  and  convey  and  inlinuate  into 
the  mind,  the  ideas  of  things  in  a  more  lively 
and  forcible  way,  than  the  mere  reading  of 
books  in  the  filence  and  retirement  of  the 
clofet. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE   MIND,  PART   I,  P.   gS. 


CONVERSATION. 

WHEN  we  converfe  familiarly  with  a 
learned  friend,  we  have  his  own  help  at  hand 
to  explain  to  us  every  word  and  fentiment 
that  feems  obfcure  inhis  difcourfe,  and  to  in- 
form us  of  his  whole  meaning,  fo  that  we  are 
in  much  lefs  danger  of  miftaking  his  fenfe  : 
whereas  in  books  whatfoever  is  really  obfcure, 
may  alio  abide  always  obfcure  without  reme- 
dy, fince  the  author  is  not  at  hand,  that  we 
may  inquire  his  fenfe. 

If  we  miftake  the  meaning  of  our  friend  in 
converfation,  we  are  quickly  let  right  again  ; 
but  in  reading  we  many  times  go  on  in  the 
£ime  miftake,  and  are  not  capable  cf  recov- 


JO  THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  W^TTS. 

ering  ourfelves  from  ir.  Thence  it  comes  to 
pafs  that  we  have  fo  many  contefts  in  all  ages 
.about  the  meaning  of  ancient  authors,  and 
cfpecially  facred  writers.  Happy  mould  we 
be,  could  we  but  converfe  with  Mo/es,  Ifaiab 
and  St.  Paul,  and  confult  the  prophets  and 
apoftles,  when  we  meet  with  a  difficult  text ! 
But  that  glorious  converiation  is  referred  for 
the  ages  of  future  bleffednefs. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF   THE  MIND,  PART    Ij  P.  40. 

Converiation  calls  out  into  light  what  has 
been  lodged  in  all  the  recefles  and  iecret 
chambers  of  the  foul.  By  occafional  hints 
and  incidents  it  brings  old  ufeful  notions  into* 
remembrance  ;  it  unfolds  and  difplays  the 
hidden  treafures  of  knowledge  with  which 
reading,  obfervation  and  ftudy  had  before  fur- 
nifhed  the  mind.  By  mutual  difcourfe,  the 
foul  is  awakened  and  allured  to  bring  forth 
its  hoards  of  knowledge,  and  it  learns  how  to 
render  them  moft  ufeful  to  mankind.  A  man 
of  vail  reading;;  without  converiation  is  like  a 
mifer,  who  lives  only  to  himielf. 

In  free  and  friendly  converfation  our  intel- 
lectual powers  are  more  animated,  and  our 
fpirits  aft  with  a  faperior  vigour  in  the  queft 
and  purfuit  of  unknown  truths.  There  is  a 
fharpnefs  and  fagacity  of  thought  that  attends 
converiation  beyond  what  we  find  whilfl  we 
are  (hut  up  reading  and  mufing  in  our  re- 
tirements.    Our  iouls  may  be  ierene  in  fokV 


TKE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  7  I 

tude,  but  not  fparkling,  though  perhaps  we 
are  employed  in  reading  the  works  of  the 
brighteft  writers.  Often  has  it  happened  in 
iree  difcourfe,  that  new  thoughts  are  ftrange- 
jy  ftruck  out,  and  the  feeds  of  truth  fparkle 
and  blaze  through  the  company,  which  in 
cairn  and  filent  reading  would  never  have  been 
excited.  By  converiation,  you  will  both  give 
and  receive  this  benefit  ;  as  flints,  when  put 
into  motion  and  finking  againft  each  other, 
produce  living  fire  on  both  fides,  which  would 
never  have  rilen  from  the  fame  hard  materials 
in  a  flate  of  reft. 

In  generous  converfation  amongft  ingeni- 
ous and  learned  men  we  have  a  great  advan- 
tage of  proposing  our  own  opinions,  and  of 
bringing  our  own  lentiments  to  the  teft,  and 
learning  in  a  more  compendious  way  what 
the  world  will  judge  of  them,  how  mankind 
will  receive  them,  what  objections  may  be 
railed  againft  them,  what  defects  there  are  in 
our  fcheme,  and  how  to  correct  our  own  mil- 
takes  ;  which  advantages  are  not  fo  eafy  ob- 
tained by  our  own  private  meditations  :  for 
thepleaiure  we  take  in  our  own  notions,  and 
the  paffion  of  felf-love,  as  well  as  the  narrow- 
nefs  of  our  own  views,  tempts  us  to  pais  too 
favourable  an  opinion  on  our  own  fchemes  ; 
whereas  the  variety  of  genius  in  our  feveral 
afTociar.es,  will  give  happy  notices  how  our 
opinion  will  ftand  in  the  view  of  mankind, 

'Tis  alio  another  confiderable  advantage  of 


72  THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

converfation,  that  it  furnifhes  the  ftudent  with 
the  knowledge  of  men  and  the  affairs  of  life, 
as  reading  furnifhes  him  with  book-learning. 
A  man  who  dwells  all  his  days  among  books 
may  have  amaiTed  together  a  vaft  heap  of  no- 
tions, but  he  may  be  a  mere  fcholar,  which  is 
a  contemptible  fort  of  character  in  the  world. 
A  hermit  who  has  been  fhut  up  in  his  cell  in 
a  college,  has  contracted  a  fort  of  mould  and 
ruft  upon  his  foul,  and  all  his  airs  ot  behaviour 
have  a  certain  aukwardnefs  in  them  :  but 
thefe  aukward  airs  are  worn  off  by  degrees  in 
company  :  the  ruft  and  the  mould  are  filed 
and  bruihed  off  by  polite  converfation.  The 
Scholar  now  becomes  a  citizen  or  a  gentleman, 
a  neighbour  and  a  friend  ;  he  learns  how  to 
drefs  his  fentiments  in  the  faireft  colours,  as 
well  as  to  let  them  in  the  faireit  light.  7'hus 
he  brings  out  his  notions  with  honour,  he 
makes  fome  ufe  of  them  in  the  world,  and 
improves  the  theory  by  practice. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF    THE   MIND,  PART    I,  P,   42. 


HATRED   REPROVED,  AND  LOVE  OF  OUR  FELLOW- 
CREATURES  RECOMMENDED. 

CONSIDER  whether  the  perfons  you 
hate  are  good  or  not.  If  they  are  good  and 
.pious,  your  hatred   has  a  double  guilt  in  it. 


VHE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  73 

fmce  you  are  bound  to  love  them  both  as 
men  and  chriftians.  Will  you  hate  thofe 
whom  God  loves  ?  Will  you  hate  thofe  who 
have  the  image  of  Chrift,  and  m  whom 
the  Spirit  of  God  inhabits?  If  they  have 
any  blameable  qualities  in  them,  let  your 
charity  cover  thofe  faults  and  follies  :  let 
your  thoughts  rather  dwell  upon  their  virtues, 
and  their  lacred  relation  to  God.  This  will 
have  a  happy  influence  to  turn  your  hatred 
into  love.  Think  of  them  as  members  of 
Chrift,  and  you  cannot  hate  them  if  you  arc 
of  that  bleffed  body-. 

Jf  they  are  perions  who  neglect  religion* 
and  have  not  the  fear  ot  God,  yet  they  may 
have  fame  good  qualities  in  them,  lome  mo- 
ral or  fpcial  virtues,  or  feme  natural  excel- 
lencies, which  may  merit  your  efteem,  and 
invite  your  love  ;  at  leaft  thefe  agreeable 
qualities  may  diminifh  your  averiion,  and  a- 
bate  your  hatred.  I  confefs  it  is  the  nature 
of  malice  and  envy,  to  overlook  all  that  is 
good  and  amiable  in  a  perfon,  and  to  remark 
only  what  is  evil  and  hateful  \  but  this  is 
not  the  fpirit  and  temper  of  a  Chriftian,  nor 
of  Jefus  Chrift  our  maftef;  There  was  a 
young  man  who  loved  his  riches  fo  well,  that 
he  refufed  to  become  a  difciple ;  yet  our  blef- 
fed  Lord  faw  fome  good  qualities  in  him ; 
%  he  looked  upon  inm,  and  loved  him," 
Mark  x.  2i. 

G 


74  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

But  if  the  perfons  whom  you  hate,  have 
nothing  good  in  them  that  you  can  find 
then  they  ought  to  be  pitied  rather  than  to 
be  hated :  they  are  not  worthy  of  your  en- 
vy, nor  do  they  need  thepuniihmentof  your 
malice  in  this  world,  who  expofe  themfelves 
to  the  wrath  and  vengeance  of  God  in  the 
world  to  come. 

Will  you  fay,  they  are  fo  impious  before 
God,  and  fo  injurious  to  men,  that  they  de- 
lerve  to  be  hated  ?  But  confider,  if  you  were 
but  punifhed  in  every  refpect  as  you  deferve, 
both  for  your  offences  againft  God  and  man, 
what  would  become  of  you  ?  Pity  them 
therefore  as  you  hope  for  pity.  Imitate  the 
goodnefs  of  "  your  Heavenly  Father,  who 
**  makes  his  fun  to  mine,  and  his  rain  to  fall 
n  on  the  juft  and  on  the  unjuft."  This  is 
the  rule  of  Chrift. 

DOCTRINE    OIF    THE    PASSIONS,  p .  IO5. 


FEAR. 


FEAR  is  a  powerful  and  ufeful  paffion, 
to  guard  us  from  mifchief  and  mifery,  to 
haften  our  avoidance  of  every1  danger,  to 
drive  us  to  our  refuge,  and  toTeftrain  us  from 
every  thing  which  has  a  tendency  to  bring  the 
£vil  or  mifchief  upon  us. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  ff 

The  anger  of  God  is  the  mod  proper  ob- 
ject of  our  fear,  as  we  are  finful  creatures  : 
nor  can  finners  fear  the  anger  of  God  too 
much,  until  they  have  complied  with  the 
appointed  methods  of  his  grace.  There  is 
alfo  a  reverence  and  holy  fear  due  to  the 
Majefty  of  God,  even  when  we  have  obtain- 
ed the  mod:  folid  hopes  of  his  mercy  :  we 
inuft  always  fear  to  fin  agai.nfl  God,  and 
keep  up  a  holy  jealoufy  of  all  temptations  to 
fin.     All  this  is  called  religious  fear. 

DCCTRi:'£    OF     THE    PASSIONS,    ?.     1 14. 


UNREASONABLE     FEAR. 

BUT  the  fear  which  I  fpeak  of  in  this  place 
is.  an  unjuft  and  unreaibnable  fear  of  any 
creature  whatfoever,  or  of  any  occurrences 
in  life  :  it  is  a  timorous  fpirit,  which  fubjects 
the  whole  nature  to  the  power  and  tyranny  si 
the  paffion  of  fear,  beyond  all  reafonable 
grounds  :  as  for  inftance,  a  fear  of  being  a- 
lone,  or  in  the  dark  ;  a  perpetual  fear  of'e- 
vil  accidents  by  fire  or  water,  or  wicked  men ; 
a  difquieting  fear  of  ghofts  and  apparitions  3 
of  little  inconfiderable  animals,  fuch  as  fpid- 
ers,  frogs,  or  worms  ;  unreafor.ab  e  and  anx- 
ious fears  of  the  lofs  of  eftate  or  friends ; ; 
fear  of  poverty  or  calamity  of  any  kind* 


£0  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

whereby  we  are  too  often  reftrained  from  our 
prefent  duty,  and  our  lives  are  made  very  un- 
comfortable. All  manner  of  fear  becomes 
irregular  when  it  rifes  to  an  exceflive  de- 
gree, and  is  fuperior  to  the  danger. 

DOCTRINE    OF    THE    PASSIONS,    P.    Il6. 


AGAINST     HASTY     DETERMINATION. 

A  HASTY  determination  of  feme  uni- 
verfal  principles  without  a  due  furvey  of  all 
the  particular  cafes  which  may  be  included 
in  them,  is  the  way  to  Lay  a  trap  for  our  own 
imderitandings  in  the  purfuit  of  any  iubject,. 
and  we  (hall  often  be  taken  captives  into  mif- 
tak.e  and  falihood. 

IMFR.GV.    OP     THE    MIND,    PART     Ij    P.    5S. 


PROFITABLE      METHOD      OF       READING      RECOM- 
MENDED. 

BOOKS  of  importance  of  any  kind,  and 
efpecially  compleat  treatifts  on  any  fubjeel:,, 
fhould  be  firfh  read  in  a  more  general  and  cur- 
fory  manner,  to  learn  a  little  what  the  treatife 
promifes,  and  what  yon  may  expect  from  the 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  77 

writer's  manner  and  fkiil.  And  for  this  end 
I  would  advife  always,  that  the  preface  be 
read,  and  a  furvey  taken  of  the  table  of"  con- 
tents, if  there  be  one,  before  this  firft  furvey 
of  the  book.  By  this  means  you  will  not  on- 
ly be  better  fitted  to  give  the  book  the  firft 
reading,  but  you  will  be  much  affifted  in  your 
fecond  perufal  of  it,  which  fhould  be  done 
with  greater  attention  and  deli  beration,and  you 
will  learn  with  more  eafe  and  readinefs  what 
the  author  pretends  to  teach.  In  your  read- 
ing, mark,  what  is  new  of  unknown  to  you 
before,  and  review  thofe  chapters,  pages  or 
paragraphs,  Unlefs  a  reader  has  an  uncom- 
mon and  moil  retentive  memory,  I  may  ven- 
ture to  affirm,  th-ar  'there  is-fcarce  any  book 
or  chapter  worth-  reading  that  is  not  worthy 
a  fecond '. perufal.  -  Atlea-ft  take  a  careful  re- 
view of  all  the  lines  or  paragraphs  which  you 
marked,  and  make  a  recolleclion  of  the  lec- 
tions which  you  thought  truly  valuable. 

There  is  another  reafon  alfo  why  I  would 
chufe  to  take  a  fuperficial  and  curlory  furvey 
of  a  book,  before  1  fit  down  to  read  it,  and 
dwell  upon  it  with  ftudious  attention  ;  and 
that  is,  that  there  may  be  feveral  difficulties 
in  it  which  we  cannot  eafily  underftand  and 
conquer  at  the  firft  reading,  for  want  of  a 
fuller  comprehenfion  of  the  author's  whole 
fcherne,  And  therefore  in  fuch  treat ifes  we 
fhould  not  nay  till  we  mailer  every  difficulty  j 
G  2 


73  TH£  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

at  the  firft  perufal ;  for  perhaps  many  of  thefo 
would  appear  to  be  folved  when  we  have 
proceeded  farther  in  that  book,  or  would 
vaniih  of  themfelves  upon  a  fecond  reading. 
What  we  cannot  reach  and  penetrate  at 
firft  may  be  noted  down  as  a  matter  of  after 
coniideration  and  enquiry,  if  the  pages  thac 
follow  do  not  happen  to  flrike  a-  compleat 
light  upon  thole  which  went  before. 

JAIPROV.    05"  THE    MJND,  PART    J,   T.  6o. 


BENEFIT     OF     CONVERSING     WITH    MEN    OF    VA- 

PJOUS    COUNTRIES,    AND  OF    DIFFERENT  PARi 

TIES,    OPINIONS,    AND   PRACTICES. 

CONFINE  not  you rfelves  always  to  one 
fort  of  company,  or  to  pei  fons  of  the  fame 
party  or  opinion,  either  in  matters  of  learn- 
ing, religion,  or  the  civil  life,  left  if  you 
fhould  happen  to  be  nurfed  up  or  educated 
in  early  miftake*  you  fhould  be  confirmed 
and  eftablifhed  in  the  fame  miftake,  by  con- 
verfing  only  with  perfons  of  the  fame  fenti- 
ments,  A  free  and  general  con.verla.tion . 
with  men  ©f  various  countries,  and  of 
different  parties,  opinions  and  praclices  (fo 
far  as  may  be-  done-fafely)  is  of  excellent  ule 
to  undeceive  us  in  many  wrong  judgments-. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  f§ 

which  we  may  have  framed,  and  to  lead  us 
intojufler  thoughts.  It  is  faid,  when  the 
king  of  Siam,  near  China,  firft  converfed 
•with  f'ome  European  merchants,  who  (ought 
the  favour  of  trading  on  his  coaft,  he  en- 
quired of  them  fome  of  the  common  ap- 
pearances of  iummer  and  winter  in  their  coun- 
try ;  and  when  they  told  him  of  water  grow- 
ing fo  hard  in  their  rivers,  that  men  and 
horfes,  and  laden  carriages  paifed  over  it,  and 
that  rain  fometimes  fell  down  as  white  and 
light  as  feathers,  and  fometimes  almoft  as  hard 
as  ftones,  he  could  not  believe  a  fylable  he  faid, 
for  ice,  fnow  and  hail,. were  names  and  things 
utterly  unknown  to  him, and  to  his  fubjectsin 
that  hot  climate  :  he  therefore  renounced  all 
traffic  with  iuch  fhameful  liars,and  would  not 
fuffer  them  to  trade  with  his  people.  See  here 
the  natural  effects  of  grofs  ignorance. 

Converfation  with  foreigners  on  various 
occafions  has  a  happy  influence  to  enlarge 
our  minds  and  to  fet  them  free  from  many 
errors  and  gro^s  prejudices  we  are  ready  to 
imbibe  concerning  them. 

JMPROV.   OF    THE    MJND,    PART   I,   p.   J2$, 


TO  RENDER  CONVERSATION  INSTRUCTIVE. 

TO    make    Converfation  more  valuable 
and  ukfulj  whether  k,be  in  a  deligned  cr 


3o      the  beauties  of  dr.  watts. 

accidental  vifit,  among  perfons  of  the  fame 
or  different  fexes,  after  .the  neceffary  faluta- 
tions  are  finifhed,  and  the  ftream  of  com- 
mon talk  begins  to  hefitate,  or  runs  flat  and 
low,  let  fome  one  perfon  take  a  book  which 
may  be  agreeable  to  the  whole  company,  and 
by  common  confent  let  him  read  in  it  ten 
lines,  or  a  paragraph  or  two,  or  a  few  pages,  , 
till  fome  word  or  fentence  gives  occafion  for 
any  of  the  company  to  offer  a  thought  or 
two  relating  to  that  fubjed  :  interruption  of 
the  reader  mould  be  no  blame,  for  coaverfa- 
tion  is  the  bufinefs  ;  whether  it  be  to  con- 
firm what  the  author  fays,  or  to  improve  it, 
to  enlarge  upon  it,  or  to  correct  it,  to  object 
againft  it,  or  to  afk  any  queflion  that  is  a-kin 
to  it  ;  and  let  every  one  that  pleaie  add 
their  opinion,  and  promote  the  converlation. 
When  the  difcourfe  links  again  or  diverts  to 
trifles,  let  him  that  reads  purfue  the  page, 
and  read  on  further  paragraphs  or  pages,  till 
fome  occafion.  is. given  by  a  word  or  a  Sen- 
tence for  a  new  difcourie  to  be  darted,  and 
that  with  the  utmoft  eafe  and  freedom.  Such 
a  method  as  this- would  prevent  the  hours  of 
a  vifit  from  running  all  to  wafte  ;  and  by 
this  .means  even  among  fcholars  they  will  fel- 
dom  find  occafion  lor  that  too  j-uft  and  bitter  * 
reflection,  "  1  have  loft  my  time  in  the  com- 
"  pany  of  the  learned. ".' 

By  fuch  practice  as  this   is,  young  ladies 
may  very  honourably  and  agreeably  improve 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         %l 

their  hours,  while  one  applies  herfelf  to  read- 
ing, the  others  employ  their  attention,  even 
among  the  various  artifices  of  the  needle  ; 
but  let  all  of  them  make  their  occafional  re- 
marks or  enquiries.  This  will  guard  a 
good  deal  of  that  precious  time  from  modifh 
trifling  impertinence  or  fcandal,.  which  might 
otherwife  afford  matter  for  painful  repent- 
ance. 

Obferve  this  rule  in  general ;  whenfoever 
it  lies  in  your  power  to  lead  the  converfation, 
let  it  be  directed  to  feme  profitable  point  of 
knowledge  or  p  rati  ice,  fo  far  as  may  be  done 
with  dectrncy  ;  and  let  not  the  difcourie  and 
the  hours  be  fufTered  to  run  loofe  without  aim 
or  defign  ;  and  when  a  fubject  is  frarted,  pafs 
not  haftily  to  another,  before  you  have 
brought  the  prefent  theme  of  difcourfe  to 
fome  tolerable  iflue,  or  a  joint  content  to 
drop  it. 

IMPROVEMENT  07  THE  MIND,  PAST   I,  P.    12$, 


EXH03.TAT10N    AGAINST  EXCESSIVE  SORROW. 

LET  not  your  thoughts  dwell  continual- 
ly upon  your  diftrefles  and  afflictions.  Suf- 
fer not  the  chamber  of  your  fouls  to  be  ev- 
er hung  round  with  dark  and  difmal  ideas  i 
chew  not  always  the  worm-wood  and.  the 


82         .THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

gall  ;  but  remember  the  many  temporal 
mercies  you  enjoy,  and  the  rich  treafures  of 
grace  in  the  gofpel.  Survey  the  immoral 
bleflings  of  pardon  of  fin,  and  eternal  life  ; 
the  love  of  God,  and  the  hope  of  heaven. 
Look  fometimes  on  thefe  brighter  fcenes ; 
fuffer  not  your  forrow  to  bury  all  your  paft 
and  prefent  comforts  in  darknefs  and  obli- 
vion.    Thankfulnefs  is  one  way  to  joy. 

Remember,  if  you  are  a  Chriftian  indeed, 
the  fprings  of  your  grief  cannot  flow  long ; 
the  hour  of  death  will  dry  them  all  up. 
The  lair  moment  of  this  mortal  life  is  a  cer- 
tain and  final  period  of  forrow.  Converfe 
much  among  the  manfions  and  joys  of  the 
invifible  world,  and  your  hope  which  is  laid 
up  there  :  the  very  gieamings  of  that  glory 
will  brighten  the  darkefl  providences,  and 
relieve  the  foul  under  its  fharpen1  pains. 

Compare  your  miferies  with  your  fins,  and 
then  you  will  think  them  lighter.-  You  will 
learn  then  to  bear  your  burdens  with  a  more 
ferene  and  peaceful  mind,  and  turn  your  for- 
rows  into  repentance  for  fin.  But,  alas  !'  .we 
aggrevate  our  fufferings,  and  extenuate  and 
excufe  our  fins :  whereas,  fuiferings  would 
appear  lighter,  if  we  did  but  confider  how 
much  heavier  evils  we  have  deferved  from 
the  hands  of  a  holy  and  offended  God. 

DOCTRINE    OF    THE    PASSIONS,    P.  IiO.' 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  $$ 


DISPUTATION. 

GREAT  care  muft  be  taken  left  your 
debates  break  in  upon  your  paffions,  and  a- 
waken  them  to  take  part  in  the  controverfy. 
When  the  opponent  puflies  hard,  and  gives 
juft  and  mortal  wounds  to  our  own  opinion, 
our  paffions  are  very  apt  to  feel  ta&  ftrokes, 
and  to  rife  in  refentment  and  defence.  Self 
is  (o  mingled  with  the  fentiments  which  we 
have  chofen,  and  has  iuch  a  tender  feeling  of 
all  the  oppofnion  which  is  made  to  them, 
that  perlbnal  brawls  are  very  ready  to  come 
in  as  feconds  to  fucceed  and  finifh  the  dif- 
pute  of  opinions.  Then  noife  and  clamour 
and  folly  appear  in  all  their  mapes,  and  chace 
reafon  and  truth  out  of  fight. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF   THE  MIND,    P.   l66. 


ACADEMICAL     DISPUTATIONS. 

IT  muft  be  confefTed  there  are  forne  ad- 
vantages to  be  attained  by  academical'  dif- 
putation..  It  gives  vigour  and  br.ifk.nefs  to 
the  mind  thus  •  exercifed,  .and  relieves  the 


&4         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS* 

'languor  of  p,  ivate  ftudy  and  meditation.  It 
ih  trpens  tru  wit  and  ali  the  inventive  powers. 
It  makes  the  thoughts  active,  and  fends  them 
on  all  fides  to  find  arguments  and  anfwers 
both  for  oppofition  and  defence.  It  gives 
opportunity  of  viewing  the  fubject  of  dif- 
coui -!e  on  all  fides,  and  of  learning  what  in- 
conven  nces,  difficulties  and  objections  at- 
tend part;'  ular  opinions.  It  furniilies  the 
foul  with  various  occafions  of  darting  fuch 
thoughts  as  other  wife  would  never  have  come 
into  the  mind.  It  makes  a  ftudent  more 
expert  in  attacking  and  refuting  an  error,  as 
well  as  in  vindicating  a  truth.  It  inftru&s  a 
fcholar  in  the  various  methods  of  warding  off 
the  force  of  objections,  and  of  difcovering 
and  repelling  the  Subtil  tricks  of  fophifters. 
It  procures  alio  a  freedom  and  readinefs  of 
fpeech,  and  rakes  the  modeft  and  diffident 
genius  to  a  due  degree  of  courage. 

But  there  are  fome  very  grievous  inconvo 
niencies  that  may  fometimes  overbalance  ali 
thefe  advantages.  For  many  young  ftudents 
by  a  conftant  habit  of  difputing,  grow  im- 
pudent and  audacious,  proud  and  difdainful, 
talkative  and  impertinent,  and  render  them- 
felves  intolerable  by  an  obftmate  humour  of 
maintaining  whatfoever  they  have  ailerted, 
as  well  as  by  a  fpirit  of  contradiction,  oppof- 
ing  almoft  every  thing  almofl  every  thing 
they  Jhear.  The  difputation  itfelf  often  a- 
wakens  the  paflions  of  ambition,  emulation, 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  $5 

and  anger  ;  it  carries  away  the  mind  from 
that  calm  and  fedate  temper  which  is  fo  ne- 
ceflary  to  contemplate  truth. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE   MIND-,  PAR^T   J,  P.   184, 


OF  FIXING  THE  ATTENTION, 

A  STUDENT  mould  labour  by  all  prop- 
er methods  to  acquire  a  fteady  fixation  of 
thought.  Attention  is  a  very  neceffary  thing' 
in  order  to  improve  our  minds.  The  evi- 
dence of  truth  does  not  always  appear  imme- 
diately, nor  firike  the  foul  at  rirfl  fight.  'Tis 
by  long  attention  and  mfpection  that  we  ar- 
rive at  evidence,  and  it  is  for  want  of  it  we 
judge  falfly  of  many  things.  We  make  hafte 
to  judge  and  determine  upon  a  flight  and  Rid- 
den view,  we  confirm  our  gueiles  which  arife 
from  a  glance,  we  pafs  a  judgment  while  we 
have  but  a  confufed  or  obfcure  perception, 
and  thus  plunge  ourfelves  into  miftakes.  This 
is  like  a  man,  who  walking  in  a  mifl,  or  being 
at  a  great  diftance  from  any  vifible  object, 
(fuppofe  a  tree,  a  man,  a  horfe,  or  a  church) 
judges  much  amifs  of  the  figure  and  fituation 
and  colours  of  it,  and  fometimes  takes  one  for 
the  other  ;  whereas  if  he  would  but  withhold 
his  judgment  till  he  come  nearer  to  it,  or  ftay 
H 


£6  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

till  clearer  light  comes,  and  then  would  fix 
his  eyes  longer  upon  it,  he  would  fecure  him- 
jfelf  from  thofe  miftakes. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF   THE   MIND,    PART    I,  P.   211. 

Mathematical  ftudies  have  a  flrange  influ- 
ence towards  fixing  the  attention  of  the  mind, 
and  giving  a  fleadinefs  to  a  wandering  difpo- 
fition,  becaufe  they  deal  much  in  lines,  figures 
and  numbers,  which  affect,  and  pleafe  the 
fenie  and  imagination.  Hiftories  have  a 
flrong  tendency  the  fame  way  ;  for  they  en- 
gage the  foul  by  a  variety  of  ienfible  occur- 
rences \  when  it  hath  begun,  it  knows  not 
how  to  leave  off;  it  longs  to  kn6w  the  final 
event  through  a  natural  curiofity  that  belongs 
to  mankind.  Voyages  and  travels  and  ac- 
counts of  flrange  countries  and  flrange  ap- 
pearances will  a  (lift  in  this  work.  This  fort 
of  fludy  detains  the  mind  by  the  perpetual 
occurrence  and  expectation  of  fomething  new, 
and  that  which  may  gratefully  ftrike  the  im- 
agination. 

IMPROVEMENT  Of  THE   MIND,  PART   I,   ?.  212. 


OF      SCIENCE. 

THE  befl  way  to  learn  any  fcience  is  to 
begin  with  a  regular  fyftem,  or  a  fhort  and 
plain  fcheme  of  that  fcience,  well  drawn  up 


TIiE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATT  J.  S/ 

into  a  narrow  compafs,  omitting  the  deep  or 
more  abftrufe  parts  of  it,  and  that  alto  under 
the  conduct,  and  inftrudion  of  fome  fkilful 
teacher.  Syftems  are  neceffary  to  give  an  en- 
tire and  comprehenfive  view  of  the  feveral 
parts  of  any  fcience,  which  may  have  a  mutu- 
al influence  toward  the  explication-  or  proof 
of  each  other  :  whereas  if  a  man  deals  always 
and  only  in  effays,  and  difcourfes  on  particu- 
lar parts  of  a  fcience,  he  will  never  obtain  a  dif- 
tincl  and  juft  idea  of  the  whole,  and  may  per- 
haps omit  fome  important  part  of  it,  after 
feven  years  reading  of  fuch  occafional  dif- 
courfes.  For  this  reafon,  young  ftudents 
mould  apply  tht-mfelves  to  their  fyflems  much 
more  than  pamphlets,  That  man  is  never 
fit  to  judge  of  particular  fubjecls  relating  to 
any  fcience,  who  has  never  taken  a  furvey^of 
the  whole. 

'Tis  the  remark  of  an  ingenious  writer, 
mould  a  barbarous  Indian,  who  had  never 
feen  a  palace  or  a  lTiip,  view  their  feparate  and 
disjointed  parts,  and  obferve  the  pillars,  doors, 
windows,  cornices  and  turrets  of  the  one,  or 
the  prow  and  flern,  the  ribs  and  mails,  the 
ropes  and  fhrowds,  the  fails  and  tackle  of  the 
other,  he  would  be  able  to  form  but  a  very- 
lame  and  dark,  idea  of  either  of  thofe  excel- 
lent and  ufeful  inventions.  Tn  like  manner, 
thole  who  contemplate  only  the  fragments  ov 
pieces  broken  off  from  any  fcience,  difperfed 
m  fhort  unconnected  difcourfes,  and  do  not 


S£  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

difcern  their  relation  to  each  other,  and  how 
they  may  be  adapted,  and  by  their  union  pro- 
cure the  delightful  fymmetry  of  a  regular 
icheme,  can  never  furvey  an  entire  body  of 
truth,  but  muft  always  view  it  as  deformed 
and  diftempered  ;  while  their  ideas,  which 
muft  be  ever  indiftincl  and  often  repugnant, 
will  lie  in  the  brain  unforted,  and  thrown  to- 
gether without  order  or  coherence  i  fuch  is 
the  knowledge  of  thofe  men  who  live  upon 
the  icraps  of  icience. 

1MPROVZMXKT   OT   THE   MIND,   PART    I,  P.   316. 


REASON  A  PRINCIPAL  SOURCE  OF  RELIGION. 

HUMAN  reafon  is  the  fir  ft  ground  and 
fpring  of  all  human  religion.  Man  is  obliged 
to  religion  becaufe  he  is  a  reafcnable  creature. 
Realon  directs  and  obliges  us  not  only  to 
fearch  out  and  practice  the  will  of  Ged.  as 
far  as  natural  confcience  will  lead  us,  but  alio 
to  examine,  receive,  and  obey,  all  the  revela- 
tions which  come  from  God,  where  we  are 
placed  within  the  reach  of  their  proper  evi- 
dences. Wherein  foever  revelation  gives  us 
plain  and  certain  rules  for  our  conduct,  reafon 
rtfelf  obliges  us  to  fubmit  and  follow  them. 
Where  the  rules  of  duty  are  more  obfcure, 
wc  are  to  ufe  our  reafon  to  find  them  out,  as 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATT9,  89 

far  as  we  can,  by  comparing  one  part  of  reve- 
lation with  another,  and  making  juft  and  rea- 
sonable inferences  from  the  various  circum- 
ftances  and  connections  of  things.  In  thofe 
parts  or  circumftances  of  religion  where  rev- 
elation is  filent,  there  we  are  called  to  betake 
ourlelves  to  reaibn  again  as  our  bed  guide  and 
conductor. 

IATIOX.U    FOUND.   OF   A   CHRIST.    CHURCH,  P.   5. 


PUBLIC  ADORATION  OF  THE  ALMIGHTY, 

THE  feveral  acts  of  worfhip  which  the 
light  of  nature  directs  us  to  pay  to  the  great 
God,  are  fuch  as  thefe  :  To  adore  him  with 
all  humility,  on  *he  account  of  his  glorious 
perfections,  and  his  wonderful  works  of  pow- 
er and  wifdom  ;  to  join  together  in  prayer  to 
God  for  fuch  bleffings  as  we  ftand  in  need  of, 
to  confefs  our  fins,  and  afk  the  forgivenefs  of 
them,  to  acknowledge  his  mercies,  and  give 
thanks  to  his  goodneis ;  and  to  fing  with  the 
voice  to  his  honour  and  praife. 

The  light  of  nature  directs  us  alio  to  feek 
continually  a  further  acquaintance  with  the 
nature  and  will  of  that  God  whom  we  worlh- 
ip,  in  order  to  practice  our  duty  the  better,, 
and  pieafe  our  Creator,  and  to  provide  ibma 
H  2 


90  THE    BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

way  for  the  further  inftruclion  of  thoie  who 
are  ignorant  of  that  religion,  and  to  come  in- 
to their  afTemblies  to  be  inftructed  :  and  for 
the  exhortation  of  rhe  people  to  fulfil  their 
duty  to  God  and  their  neighbours.  And  if 
there  are  any  fpecial  rites  or  ceremonies,  fuch 
as  belong  to  focial  worhYrp,  the  light  of  na- 
ture tells  us,  that  here  they  ought  to  be  per- 
formed. 

And  does  not  the  New  Teftament  let  alt 
thefe  matters  before  us  fo  plainly  and  fre- 
quently, with  regard  to  ehriftiahity,  that  f 
need  not  ftand  to  cite  chapter  and  verfe, 
where  thefe  things  are  praclifed  by  the  apoi- 
ties,  and  the  primitive  chriftians,  in  their 
afTemblies  ?  Here  adoration,  prayer,  and 
thankfgivings,  are  offered  up  to  God,  but  in 
the  name  of  Jefus,  as  their  only  Mediator  : 
here  their  addreffes  are  made  to  God,  with 
one  mind,  and  with  one  mouth,  to  the  glory 
of  Qod,  who  is  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jeius  Chrift  :  here  pfalms,  and  hymns, 
and  fpiritual  fongs,  are  fung  to  the  honour  of 
the  Creator  and  Redeemer  :  here  the  word 
of  God  is  preached  for  the  inftruclion  of  the 
ignorant  or  unbelievers,  who  come  into  the 
chriftian  afiemblies,  that  fmners  or  infidels 
may  be  converted,  and  chriftians  edified,  and 
exhorted  to  perfift  in  the  faith,  and  improve 
in  holinefs,  i  Cor.  xiv.  23.  Here  the  great 
ordinance  of  chriftian  communion,  the  Lord's 
fupper,  is  celebrated^  by  diftributing  and  re- 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  9! 

ceiving  bread  and  wine,  and  eating  and  drink- 
ing id  remembrance  of  their  common  Saviour> 
and  his  death,  1  Cor.  xi.  20,  &c.  As  for  the 
other  ordinance,  viz.  Baptifm,  it  being  not 
fo  properly  an  act  of  public  or  focial  religion, 
I  do  not  find  it  is  any  where  required  to  be 
done  in  public  ;  and  though  it  might  be  ren- 
dered more  extenfively  ufeful  by  that  means 
for  fome  purpoies,  yet  it  may  be  performed 
m  private  houfes,  or  in  retired  places,  as  it 
was  in  the  primitive  ages. 

RATIONAL    FOUND.  OF   A  CHRIST.  CHURCH  P.  2J. 


THAT  PROVISION   SHOULD  BE  MADE  FOR  THE  SUP- 
PORT OF  THE  MINISTERS  OF  THE  GOSPEL, 

THOUGH  chriftian  minifters  fhould  be 
fupported  in  temporal  things,  that  they  may 
not  labour  under  perpetual  cares,  and  daily 
anxieties,  how  to  get  bread  and  raiment  for 
themfelves  and  their  families,  and  that  they 
may  maintain  their  properauthority  in  preach- 
ing, reproving  and  exhorting,  and  live  above 
the  fear  or  fhame  that  may  arife  from  pover- 
ty and  diihonourable  dependences,  yet  there 
is  no  rule  nor  example  in  fcripture  that  fhould 
raiie  them  to  far  above  the  people  in  riches  or 
grandeur,  as  to  become  the  lords  of  God's 
heritage,  or  tempt  them  to  afTume  fovereign 
dominion  over  the  confeience,  faith  or  practife. 

RATION  Ai   FOUND.  OF  A  CflJBST.    CHVRCH    P.  49. 


0.2,  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


THE  DUTY  OF  CHRISTIAN  MINISTERS, 

THE  rule  and  government  which  is  com- 
mitted to  ordinary  minifters  in  the  church, 
fo  far  as  I  can  underftand  it,  feems  to  confift 
in  theie  things  following  :  viz.  In  going  be- 
fore the  people,  and  leading  the  feveral  parts 
of  their  worihip,  and  becoming  their  exam- 
ple in  every  duty  ;  in  teaching  them  the  prin- 
ciples and  rules  of  their  religion  ;  the  knowl- 
edge, profefTion,  and  practice  of  thofe  doc- 
trines and  duties,  that  worihip  and  order,, 
which  reafon  and  natural  religion  dictate,  and. 
that  which  Chrilt  hi mfelf  has  revealed,  fuper- 
added,  and  eftabliilied  in  his  word  :  it  con- 
fifts  in  exhorting,  perfuading,  and  charging 
the  hearers  with  lblemnity  in  the  name  and 
authority  of  Chrift,  to  comply  therewith  :  in 
inftrucYing  the  people  how  to  apply  thefe  gen- 
eral principles  and  rules  to  particular  cafes 
and  occurrences,  and  giving  them  their  bed 
advice  ;  in  prefiding  in  their  affemblies,  and- 
particularly  as  to  the  admiffionand  exclufion 
of  members  :  it  confifts  in  watching  over  the 
flock  ;  in  guarding  them  againft  errors  and 
dangers  j  in  ad moni filings  and  warning,  and 
reproving,  with  all  gravity  and  authority, 
thole  who  neglect  or  oppofe  the  rules  of 
Chrift.  But  I  cannot  find  where  our  blefTed 
Lord  has  given  them  any  power,  or  pretence 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  9J 

of  power  to  impofe  on  confeience  any  fuch 
advices  of  their  own,  which  neither  reaibn 
nor  revelation  impofe  -,  much  leis  to  impofe 
any  of  their  own  inventions  of  new  doctrines, 
or  duties ;  or  fo  much  as  their  own  peculiar 
explications  of  the  words  of  Chrifts  by  their 
own  authority.  When  our  Saviour  gave 
commiffion  to  his  difciples,  or  his  apofiles.,  to 
"  preach  the  gofpel  to  all  nations,"  it  was  in 
this  manner  :  "  Go  teach  them  to  obferve" 
(not  whatlbever  you  ("hall  command,  but) 
•/  whatfoeverl  have  commanded  you,"  Matt, 
xxviii. 

RATIONAL  FOUND.  OF  A  CHRIST.  CHURCH  P,  6$. 


RELIGIOUS    LIBERTY, 

A  CHRISTIAN  church  allows  all  its 
members  the  moft  perfect  liberty  of  men  and 
chriflians.  It  is  inconftftent  with  perfecution 
for  confeience  fake  :  for  it  leayes  all  civil  re- 
wards and  punifnments  to  kingdoms,  and 
dates,  and  the  governors  of  this  world.  It 
pretends  to  no  power  over  confeience,  to  com- 
pel men  to  obedience  ,  no  prifons,  no  axes, 
fire,  nor  fword.  It  gives  its  minifters  power 
and  authority  to  command  nothing  but  what 
is  found  in  the  bible. 

RATIONAL  FOUND,  OF  .A   CHRIST.  CHURCH,  T,  92. 


94  THE  EEAUTTE3   OF  DR.   WATTS. 

If  any  perfon  fins  fo  groflly  again  ft  the  plain 
rules  of  the  gofpel,  or  the  laws  of  God  or 
Chrift,  as  to  appear  to  renounce  the  charac- 
ters of  a  chriftian,  the  church  hath  power  on- 
ly to  renounce  fiich  a  perfon,  and  difclaim  all 
chriftian  fellowfhip  with  him,  and  to  turn 
him  into  the  world,  which  is  the  kingdom  of 
Satan,  till  he  repent  :  but  they  have  no  au- 
thority to  hurt  his  life  or  limbs ;  to  touch  a 
hair  of  his  head,  nor  a  penny  of  his  money, 
by  way  of  punifhment. 

RATIONAL   FOUNDATION  OF  A  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH,  P.    93. 

A  profeflbr  of  every  religion  has  a  right-to 
be  protected  by  the  government  as  long  as  he 
maintains  his  allegiance  to  the  governors,  and 
does  no  injury  to  the  ftate.  But  if  govern- 
ors will  not  protect,  him,  but  will  give  him 
up  to  the  fury  of  perfecutors,  he  has  certainly 
a  civil  right  to  defend  himfelf  and  his  friends 
againft  all  alTaults  and  injuries. 

RATIONAL    FOUNDATION  OF  A  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH,  P.  95. 


THE  PREJUDICE  OF  CREDULITY,  AND  A  SPIRIT  OF 
CONTRADICTION,  CONTRASTED. 

THE  credulous  man  is  ready  to  receive 
every  thing  for  truth,  that  has  but  the  (hadow 
of  evidence  i  every  new  book  that  he  reads, 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  95 

and  every  ingenious  man  with  whom  he  con- 
verfes,  has  power  enough  to  draw  him  into 
the  fentiments  of  the  fpeaker  or  writer.  He 
has  To  much  complaifance  in  him,  or  weak- 
nefs  of  foul,  that  he  is  ready  to  refign  his  own 
opinion  to  the  firft  objection  which  he  hears, 
and  to  receive  any  fentiments  of  another  that 
are  aliened  with  a  poiitive  air  and  much  af- 
furance.  Thus  he  is  under  a  kind  of  necef- 
fity,  through  the  indulgence  of  this  credulous 
humour,  either  to  be  often  changing  his  opin- 
ions, or  to  believe  inconfiftences. 

The  man  of  contradict  on  is  of  a  very  con- 
trary humour  -3  for  he  (lands  ready  to  oppofe 
every  thing  that  is  (aid  :  he  gives  but  a  flight 
attention  to  the  reafons  of  other  men,  from 
an  inward  fcornful  prefumption  that  they 
have  no  ftrength  in  them.  When  he  reads 
or  hears  a  difcourfe  different  from  his  own 
fentiments,  he  does  not  give  himfelf  leave  to 
confider,  whether  that  dilcourfe  may  be  true  ; 
but  employs  all  his  powers  immediately  to 
confute  it.  Your  great  difputers,  and  your 
men  of  controverfy,  are  in  continual  danger 
of  this  fort  of  prejudice  :  they  contend  often 
for  victory,  and  will  maintain  whatfbever  they 
have  afTerted,  while  truth  is  loft  in  the  noife 
and  tumult  of  reciprocal  contradictions ;  and 
it  frequently  happens,  that  a  debate  about 
opinions  is  turned  into  a  mutual  reproach  of 
perfons. 

LOGIC,  P.  20S. 


96         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


RULIS  FOR  CORRECTING  CREDULOUS  AND  CON- 
TRADICTORY DISPOSITIONS. 

The  prejudice  of  credulity  may  in  fome 
meafure  be  cured,  by  learning  to  let  a  high 
value  upon  truth,  and  by  taking  more  pains  to 
attain  it  5  remembering  that  truth  often  lies 
dark  and  deep,  and  requires  us  to  dig  for  it  as 
hid  treaiiire  ;  and  that  faifhood  often  puts  on 
a  fair  difguife,  and  therefore  we  Ihould  not 
yield  up  our  judgment  to  every  plaufible  ap- 
pearance. It  is  no  part  of  civility  or  good 
breeding  to  part  with  truth,  but  to  maintain 
it  with  decency  and  candour. 

A  fpirit  of  contradiction  is  fo  pedantic  and 
hateful,  that  a  man  fhouid  take  much  pains 
with  himfelf  to  watch  againft  every  inftance 
of  it :  he  mould  learn  fo  much  good-humour, 
at  leaftvas  never  to  oppofe  any  thing  without 
juft  and  tolid  reafon  for  it  :  he  mould  abate 
fome  degrees  of  pride  and  morofenefs,  which 
are  never-failing  ingredients  in  this  fort  of 
temper,  and  fhouid  feek  alter  fo  much  hon- 
efty  and  confcience,  as  never  to  contend  for 
conqueft  or  triumph  ;  but  to  review  his  own 
reafons,  and  to  read  the  arguments  of  his  op- 
ponents (if  poffiblej  with  an  equal  indiffer- 
ency,  be  glad  to  fpy  a  truth,  and  to  fubmit 
to  it,  though  it  appear  on  the  oppofite  fide. 

tOGIC,    P.    Z08. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         97 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  CUSTOM. 

SUPPOSE  we  have  freed  ourfelves  from 
the  younger  prejudices  of  our  education,  yet 
we  are  in  danger  of  having  our  mind  turned 
afide  from  truth  by  the  influence  of  general 
cuftom.  Our  opinion  of  meats  and  drinks, 
of  garments  and  forms  of  falutation,  are  in- 
fluenced more  by  cuftom,  than  by  the  eye, 
the  ear,  or  the  tafte.  Cuftom  prevails  even 
over  fenfe  itfelf,  and  therefore  no  wonder  if  it 
prevail  over  reafon  too.  What  is  it  but  cuf- 
tom that  renders  many  of  the  mixtures. of 
food  and  fauces  elegant  in  Britain,  which 
would  be  aukward  and  naufeous  to  the  in- 
habitants of  China,  and  indeed  were  naufeous 
to  us  when  we  firft  tafted  them  ?  What  but 
'  cuftom  could  make  thole  falutations  polite  in 
Mufcovy,  which  arc  ridiculous  in  France  and 
England  ?  We  call  ourfelves  indeed  the  po- 
liter nations,  but  is  it  we  who  judge  thus  ot 
ourfelves  ;  and  that  fancied  politenefs  is  of- 
tentimes more  owing  to  cuftom  than  reafon. 
Why  are  the  forms  of  our  prefent  garments 
counted  beautiful,  and  thofe  faihions  of  our 
anceftors  the  matter  of  fcofFand  contempt, 
which  in  their  days  were  all  decent  and  gen- 
teel ?  It  is  cuftom  that  forms  our  opinion  of 
drefs,  and  reconciles  us  by  degrees  to  thofe 


$3  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

habits  which  at  firft  feemed  very  odd  and 
monftrous.  It  muft  be  granted,  there  are 
fome  garments  and  habits  which  have  a  nat- 
ural congmity  or  incongruity,  modefty  or  im- 
modefty,  gaudery  or  gravity  $  though  for  the 
mod  part  there  is  but  little  reafon  in  thefe 
affairs  ;  but  what  little  there  is  of  reafon,  or 
natural  decency,  cuftom  triumphs  over  it  all. 
It  is  almoft  impoflible  to  perfuade  a  young 
lady  that  any  thing  can  be  decent  which  is 
out  of  fafhion. 

The  methods  of  our  education  are  govern- 
ed by  cuftorn.  It  is  cuftom,  and  not  reafon, 
that  fends  every  boy  to  learn  the  Roman  po- 
ets, and  begin  a  little  acquaintance  with 
Greek,  before  he  is  bound  apprentice  to  a 
Jbap-boiler  or  a  leather-feller.  It  is  cuftom 
alone  that  teaches  us  Latin  by  the  rules  of  a 
Latin  Grammar ;  a  tedious  and  abfurd  meth- 
od 1  And  what  is  it  but  cuftom  that  has  for 
paft  centuries  confined  the  brighteft  geniufes, 
even  of  the  higheft  rank  in  the  femate  world, 
to  the  bufineis  of  the  needle  only,  and  feclud- 
ed  them  mod  unmercifully  from  the  pleal- 
ures  of  knowledge,  and  the  divine  improve- 
ments of  reafon.  But  we  begin  to  break  all 
thefe  chains,  and  reafon  begins  to  dictate  the 
education  of  youth. 

tocic,  r.  ii7« 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  BR.  WATTS.  99 

ABSURDITY  OF  HEREDITARY  PREJUDICES  EXPOSED, 

SOME  perfons  believe  every  thing  that 
their  kindred,  their  parents,  and  their  tutors 
believe.  The  veneration  and  the  love  which 
they  have  for  their  anceftors,  incline  them  to 
fwallow  down  all  their  opinions  at  once,  with- 
out examining  what  truth  or  falfhood  there  is 
in  them.  Men  take  their  principles  by  in- 
heritence,  and  defend  them  as  they  would 
their  eftates,  becaufe  they  are  born  heirs  to 
them.  I  freely  grant,  that  parents  are  ap- 
pointed by  God  and  nature  to  teach  us  all 
the  fentiments  and  practifes  of  our  younger 
years  ;  and  happy  are  thofe  whofe  parents 
lead  them  into  the  paths  of  wifdom  and  truth. 
I  grant  further,  that  when  perfons  come  to 
years  of  difcretion,  and  judge  for  themlelyes, 
they  ought  to  examine  the  opinions  of  their 
parents,  with  the  greateft  modefly,  and  with 
an  humble  deference  to  their  fuperior  charac- 
ter ;  they  ought,  in  matters  perfectly  dubious, 
to  give  the  preference  to  their  parents  advice, 
and  always  to  pay  them  the  firfl  refpect,  nor 
ever  depart  from  their  opinions  and  practifes, 
till  reafon  and  confcience  make  -it  necefTary. 
But  after  all,  it  is  poflible  that  parents  may 
be  miflaken,  and  therefore  reafon  and  fcrip- 
ture  ought  to  be  our  final  rules  of  determin- 
ation in  matters  that  relate  to  this  world,  and 
that  which  is  to  come. 

tOGIC,   P.    HP 


XOQ         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.WATT5, 


"  O  S  I  T  2    DUTIES. 

WHERE  two  duties  feem  to  (land  in  op- 
position to  each  other,  and  we  cannot  prac- 
tice both,  the  lefs  mud  give  way  to  the  great- 
er, and  the  omiffion  of  the  let's  is  not  finful. 
So  ceremonial  laws  give  way  to  moral  :  Go<A 
will  have  mercy  and  not  facrifice. 

iccic,  p.  261. 


ABSENCE  FROM  GOD,  WHO  13  OUR  ALL. 

MY  God,  my  Maker,  I  have  called  thee 
my  all-fatisfying  portion,  and  my  eternal  good. 
When  I  contemplate  thee,  I  (land  amazed  at 
thy  grandeur  ;  thy  wifdotn,  thy  power,  thy 
fulneis  of  bl effing,  wrap  my  foul  up  in  afton- 
ifhment  and  devout  filence.  In  that  happy 
moment  my  foul  cries  out,  what  are  creatures 
when  compared  with  thee,  but  merefhadows 
of  being,  and  faint  reflections  of  thy  light  and 
beauty  !  And  yet  (ftupid  as  I  am)  I  foon 
lofe  my  fight  of  God,  and  (land  gazing  upon 
thy  creatures  all  the  day,  as  if  beauty  and 
light  were  theirs  in  the  original. 

What  are  they  all,  O  my  God,  but  empty 
eifterns  that  can  give  no  relief  to  a  thirfty 
foul,. unlefs  thou  fupply  them  with  rivulets 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         IOI 

from  on  high  ?  And  yet  we  croud  about 
thefe  cillerns,  and  are  attached  to  them,  as 
though  they  were  the  unfailing  fprings  and 
fountains  of  our  bleflednefs.  Every  breath 
we  draw  is  a  new  and  unmerited  gift  from 
heaven  ;  God  our  life  and  the  length  of  our 
days  ;  and  yet  we  are  contented  to  fpend  that 
lite  far  from  heaven  and  from  God,  and  to 
dwell  afar  off  from  him,  amidft  the  regions  of 
mortality  and  death  :  we  are  ever  grovelling 
in  this  land  of  graves,  as  though  immortal 
bleflings  were  to  be  drawn  from  the  clods  of  it. 

Our  real  and  eternal  interefr.  depends  more 
on  thy  fingle  favour,  than  on  the  united 
friendfhip  of  the  whole  creation  ;  and  yet, 
foolifh  wanderers  that  we  are  I  We  abfent 
ourfelves  from  our  God,  and  rove  far  and  wide 
to  feek  interefts  and  friendfhips,  among  crea- 
tures whofe  character  is  weaknefs,  vanity,  and 
di (appointing  vexation.  How  fond  are  we 
of  a  word  or  a  look  from  a  worm  in  a  high 
ftation  ?  How  do  we  carefs  them  and  court 
their  love,  at  the  expence  of  virtue  and  truth, 
and  the  favour  of  God  our  maker  I  And  yet 
they  are  nothing  without  God,  but  he  is  our 
all  without  their  leave. 

Should  my  father  and  my  moth  ery  and  ev- 
ery mortal  friend  forfake  me,  and  every  good 
angel  take  his  flight  ;  mould  thefe  heavens 
and  this  earth,  with  all  their  innumerable  in- 
habitants difappear  at  once,  and  vanifti  into 
I  2 


102  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

their  firft  nothing  ;  thy  prefence  with  me  is 
all-fufRcient,  thy  hand  would  ftipport  my  be- 
ing, and  thy  love  would  furnifti  out  an  eter- 
nity oflife  and  coeval  happinefs.  Why  thea 
do  I  tie  myfelf  lb  fad  to  my  mortal  friends, 
as  though  my  reparation  from  them  were  cer- 
tain mitery  ?  Why  do  I  lean  upon  creatures 
with  my  whole  weight,  as  though  nothing 
elfe  could  fupport  me  ? 

Oh  my  God  !  I  am  convinced  that  I  have 
more  affairs,  and  of  far  higher  importance,  to 
tranfaer,  with  thee,  than  with  all  thy  creatures, 
and  yet  I  am  ever  chattering  with  thy  crea- 
tures, and  fay  little  to  my  God  ;  or  at  beft 
give  him  a  morning  or  an  evening  falutation, 
and  perhaps  too  with  indolence  and  formal- 
ity. Whom  have  1  in  heaven  or  on  earth  but 
thee,  that  can  fupply  all  my  wants,  and  fill  up 
all  the  vacancies  of  my  heart  ?  And  yet  how 
are  my  thoughts  and  hours  bufily  employed 
in  queft  of  fatisfaction  among  the  fhining 
fnares,  or  at  beft  among  the  flattering  imper- 
tinencies  of  the  world  ;  though  every  new  ex- 
periment fhews  me  they  are  all  unfatisfying  ?- 
1{  I  happen  to  find  any  thing  here  below  made 
a  channel  to  convey  lome  bleffing  to  me  from 
thy  hand,  how  prone  am  I  to  make  an  idol 
of  it,  and  place  it  in  the  room  of  my  God  ? 

How  much,  alas  !  do  I  truftto  my  food  to 
nourifh,  and  phytic  to  heal  me  !  but  it  is  thou 
alone  can'ft  bleis  me  with  eafe,  nourifhment 
and  health,  while  I  dwell  in   this  cottage  of 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  BR.  WATTS.         TOJ 

Uefh  and  blood.  Let  medicines  and  phyfi- 
cians  pronounce  defpair  and  death  upon  me, 
a  word  of  thine  can  fhut  the  mouth  of  the 
grave,  can  renew  the  vigor  and  bloom  of 
youth,  and  repair  the  decays  of  nature.  If 
thou  withhold  thy  vital  influence,  my  flefh- 
languifhes  and  expires  even  among  the  luxu- 
rious pro vi (ions  of  the  table,  and  the  recipes 
of  the  learned  ;  and  it  is  thou  only  can'ft 
provide  me  a  bliisful  habitation,  when  this 
cottage  is  fallen  to  the  ground.  Father,  inta 
thy  hand  I  commend  myjpirit,  when  it  is  dif- 
lodged  from  this  mortal  tabernacle  ;  and  why 
mould  I  not  keep  my  fpirit  ever  near  thee, 
£nce  every  moment  I  am  liable  to  be  turned- 
out  of  this  dwelling,  and  fent  a  naked  Gran- 
ger into  the  unknown  world  offpirits  ? 

It  is  but  a  few  days  and  nights  more  that 
I  can  have  to  do  with  fun,  moon  and  ftars  ; 
a  little  time  will  finifh  all  my  commerce  with 
this  vifible  world  ;  but  I  have  affairs  of  infi- 
nite and  everlafting  moment  to  tranfact  with 
the  great  God.  It  is  before  thy  tribunal  I 
muft  (land  as  the  final  judge  of  all  my  con- 
duel:,  front  whofe  decifive  fentence  there  is 
no  appeal  ;  and  yet  how  fond  am  I,  and 
wretchedly  folickous,  to  approve  myfelf  rather 
to  creatures,  whofe  opinion  and  fentence  is 
but  empty  air.  It  is  by  thy  judgment  that  I 
muft  ftand  or  fall  forever  y  the  words  of  thy 
lips  will  be  my  eternal  blifs,  or  my  everlafting 
woe  j  why  then  fhould  I>  a  little  infecl:,  or 


104         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

atom  of  being,  be  concerned  about  the  fmiles 
or  frowns  of  my  fellow-infects,  my  equal  at- 
oms }  Can  all  their  applaufes,  or  their  re- 
proaches, weigh  a  grain  in  the  divine  balance, 
that  facred  and  tremendous  balance  of  juf- 
tice,  in  which  all  my  actions  and  my  foul  it- 
felf  mud  be  weighed  ?  Let  all  the  creatures 
above  and  below  frown  and  fcowl  upon  me  ; 
if  my  Creator  (mile,  I  am  happy  ;  nor  can 
all  their  frownings  diminifh  my  complete  joy. 

Forgive,  gracious  God,  forgive  the  pad 
follies  and  wanderings  of  a  ftnfulworm,  from 
thee  the  higheft  and  the  beft  of  Beings.  I 
am  even  amazed  at  my  own  ftupidity,  that 
I  could  live  fo  much  abfent  from  thee,  when 
my  eternal  all  depends  upon  thee. 

And  how  much  more  inexcufable  is  my 
forgetfulnefs  of  my  God,  fince  he  has  fent 
his  own  fon,  his  iaireft  image  into  flefh  and 
blood,  to  put  me  in  mind  of  my  Maker,  and 
to  teach  me  what  my  God  is  ?  "  He  that 
r<  has  {cen  me,  fays  he,  has  feen  the  Father, 
"  I  and  the  Father  are  One."  We  happen 
to  be  born  indeed  too  late  for  the  fight  of 
his  face,  but  we  have  the  tranfcript  of  his 
heart,  the  true  copy  of  his  life,  and  the  very- 
features  of  his  foul,  conveyed  down  to  us  in  his 
ever-living  gofpels.  There  we  may  read  Jejusy 
there  we  may  learn  the  Father,  O  may  the 
little  remnant  ot  my  days  be  fpent  in  the  pref- 
ence  of  my  God  ;  and  when  I  am  conftrain- 
ed  to  converfe  with  creatures,  let  me  ever  re- 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  IO5 

member  that  I  have  infinitely  more  to  do 
with  my  Creator,  and  thus  fhorten  my  talk 
and  train"  ck  with  them,  that  I  may  have  leif- 
ure  to  converfe  the  longer  with  thee.  Let 
me  fee  thee  in  every  thing  ;  let  me  read  thy 
name  every  where  ;  founds,  fliapes>  colours, 
motions,  and  all  vifible  things,  let  them  all 
teach  me  an  invifible  God.  Let  creatures  be 
nothing  to  me,  but  as  the  books  which  thou 
haft  lent  me  to  inftrucl  me  in  the  leflbns  of 
thy  power,  wifdom  £nd  love  ;  above  all,  let 
me  derive  this  fcicnce  by  converfe  with  the 
bleffed  Je[usy  and  may  I  be  fo  wife  a  profici- 
ent in  this  divine  fchool,  as  to  learn  fome  new 
lefibn  daily.  Train  me  up  among  the  vifible 
works  and  thy  word,  O  my  heavenly  Father, 
by  the  condefcending  methods  of  thy  grace 
and  providence,  till  I  am  loofened  and  wean- 
ed from  all  things  below  God  ;  and  then  give 
me  a  glorious  difmifiion  into  that  intellectual 
and  blifsful  world,  where  in  a  more  immedi- 
ate manner  I  fhall  fee  God,  and  where. God 
himfelf.  is  the  fenfible  acknowledged  life  of 
fouls. 

MJSCEL.    THOUGHTS,    P.    159. 


ACADEMICAL  DISPUTES  APT  TO  PREJUDIGE  THE 
MINDS  OF  STUDENTS. 

IT  is  exceeding  hard  to  difputc  without 
gaining  fome  invifible  prejudice  and  good 


106  THE  BfiAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS, 

liking  to  the  opinion  we  defend.  So  devoted 
are  we  to  ourielves,  in  this  dark  and  degene- 
rate date,  that  felf-love  too  eafily  engages 
our  favour  to  the  caufe  we  have  efpoufed, 
and  for  no  other  reafon  than  becaufe  we  ef- 
poufed it.  Though  we  had  no  kindnefs  be- 
fore for  an  opinion  that  we  maintain  for  dif- 
puting-fake,  yet  if  a  plaufible  and  fmiling  ar- 
gument for  it  occurs  in  our  hafty  thoughts, 
how  prone  are  we  to  hug  the  creature  of  our 
brain,  and  be  almoft  in  love  with  the  opinion 
for  the  fake  of  the  argument  ?  I  confefs  there 
ure  no  fuch  formal  reafonings  in  our  mind  as 
thefe  ;  yet  we  are  infenfibly  captivated  to 
efteem  any  thing  that  proceeds  from  our- 
felves  :  our  paflion  firft  thinks  it  pity  that 
fuch  a  happy  argument  of  our  own  invention 
-fhould  be  on  the  faile  fide,  and  by  fecret  in- 
finuation  perfuades  the  judgment  to  vote  it 
true.  How  often  have  I  experienced  thefe 
fallacies  working  within  me  in  verbal  difpu- 
tations  before  my  tutor  !  And,  for  this  reafon, 
I  have  no  great  efteem  of  the  method  of  our 
academical  difputes,  where  the  young  fophif- 
ters  are  obliged  to  oppofe  the  truth  by  the 
beft  arguments  they  can  find,  and  the  tutor 
defends  it  and  afiifts  the  refpondent.  There 
is  a  certain  wantonnefs  of  wit  in  youth,  and  a 
pleafing  ambition  of  victory,  which  works  in 
a  young  warm  fpirit,  much  ftronger  than  a 
defire  of  truth.  There  is  a  ftrange  delight 
in  baffling  the  refpondent,  and  it  grows  bigger 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         107 

fenfibly,  if  we  can  put  the  prefident  to  a  puz- 
zle or  a  ftand.  The  argument  which  is  {0 
fuccefsful,  relifhes  better  on  the  lips  of  the 
young  opponent,  and  he  begins  to  think  that 
it  js  (olid  and  unanfwerable  ;  "  Surely  my  tu- 
"  tor's  opinion  can  hardly  be  true ;  and  though 
"  J  thought  I  was  put  on  the  defence  of  a  falfe 
*f  doctrine,  yet  fince  I  have  found  fo  good  an 
M  argument  for  it,  I  can  hardly  believe  it 
"  falfe."  Then  his  invention  works  on  to 
ftrrngthen  his  fufpicion,  and  at  laft  he  firmly 
believes  the  opinion  he  fought  for.  Often 
have  I  been  in  danger  of  fuch  delufions  as 
thefe,  and  feel  myfelf  too  ready  to  fubmit  to 
them  now.  Even  a  ciofet,  and  retirement, 
and  our  cooled  meditations,  are  liable  to  thefc 
fecret  fophiflries.  Upon  the  firft  fight  of  an 
objeclion  againft  our  arguments,  our  thoughts 
are  ftrangely  hurried  away  to  ranfac  the  brain 
for  a  reply,  and  we  torture  our  invention  to 
make  our  fide  have  the  laft  word,  before  we 
call  in  cool  judgment  calmly  to  decide  the 
difference  ;  and  thus  from  a  hot  defence  of 
our  own  reafonings,  we  unimaginably  flide 
into  a  cordial  defence  of  the  caufe. 

MIlCEi.  THOUGHTS,  P.  lyO. 


I08         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS, 


CHRISTIAN  REVELATION   SUPERIOR  TO  HUMAN 
REASON. 

THE  Chriftian  revelation  has  a  vaft  pre- 
ference above  the  mere  principle  of  human 
reafon,  in  that  its  motives  are  more  nume- 
rous and  powerful  beyond  all  companion. 
And  if  the  motives  to  religion,  which  our 
reaioning  powers  can  propofe,  may  be  called 
fuffkient  to  equal,  or  rather  to  exceed,  all 
temptations  to  vice  and  impiety,  becaule  in 
the  balance  of  reafon  they  appear  more 
weighty,  than  the  principles  and  motives  of 
Chriftianity  muft  be  more  abundantly  fuffi- 
cient,  becaufe,  with  an  infinite  fuperabun- 
dance,  they  out-weigh  all  the  temptations  of 
flelh  and  lin,  when  put  into  the  fame  ba- 
lance of  reafon. 

And  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  motives  of 
the  gofpel,  numerous  and  powerful  as  they 
are,  prove  ineffectual  to  many  thouiands  that 
hear  them,  furely  the  motives  of  mere  rea- 
fon, which  are  much  fewer  and  feebler,  are 
very  inefficient  in  comparifon  with  thofe  of 
revelation. 

6TA2.NGTM    AN»    WEAKNESS   OF   HUM.   RIASON,   *.    272* 


THE  EEATIES  OE   DR.  WATTS.        190 


SEASON    ALONE    NOT     SUFFICIENT    TO    PROCURE 
TO  MANKIND  WISDOM  AND  BLESSEDNESS. 

IF  reafon  has  only  fuch  a  remote  and  fpe- 
culative  iufficiency,  to  guide  and  conduct 
mankind  to  happinefs  in  a  way  of  religion,  if 
there  are  fo  very  few  (if  any)  who  were  never 
■guided  and  conducted  by  it  alone  to  happi- 
nefs, then  there  is  a  moft  evident  neceflky  of 
brighter  light,  clear  difcoveries  of  duty, 
flronger  motives  and  affiftances,  fuperior  to 
what  reafon  can  furnilli  us  with,  to  make 
mankind  truly  wife  and  blefled  :  and  this 
light,  and  thefe  motives,  and  afiiflances,  are 
eminently  to  be  found  in  the  religion  of 
Chrift. 

STRENGTH    AND    V.'EAKNE6S    OF    HUM.    REASON,    P.    I42, 


DECENCY. 


THAT  Is  decent,  which  is  agreeable  to 
our  flate,  condition  or  circumflances,  whe- 
ther it  be  in  behaviour,  difcourfe,  or  action. 

LOGIC,   P.   263. 

K 


r.IO         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


GRADUAL  PROGRESS    OF  THE   GOSPEL. 

THIS  gofpel  was  not  revealed  at  once  in 
its  full  glory  to  mankind.  There  have  been 
-feveral  editions  of  it,  or  gradual  difcoveries 
of  this  grace  in  all  the  former  ages  of  the 
world. 

As  foon  as  ever  Adam  had  finned,  and 
ruined  himlelf  and  his  pofterity  too,  by  lay- 
ing the  foundation  of  their  fin  and  mifery, 
it  pleafed  God  to  publifh  this  gofpel  by  the 
promife  ot  a  Saviour,  when  he  told  our  mo- 
ther Eve,  that  "  her  ieed  mould  bruife  the 
*c  head  of  the  ferpent"  that  had  deceived 
her.  Gen.  iii.  15.  This,  by  our  divines,  is 
generally  called  the  firft  gofpel ;  for  in  the 
modern  language  of  the  New  Teftament  it 
iignifies,  that  "  Jefus  Chritl  mould  come  in- 
ct  to  this  world  to  deftroy  the  works  of  the 
"  devil."     John  iii.  8. 

Doubtlefs  Noah,  the  fecond  father  of  man- 
kind, had  fome  farther  difcoveries  made  to 
him,  when  the  rainbow  was  appointed  as  the 
feal  of  a  gracious  covenant  betwixt  God  and 
man  :  for  the  very  promife  of  the  continuance 
'of  the  comfortable  feafons  of  the  year,  being 
given  to  man  in  a  way  of  mercy,  do  imply' 
that  God  would  not  be  irreconcileable  to  his 
fallen  creatures,,  Nor  can  we  reafonably 
but  that  Adam  and  Noah,  and  all 


fuppofe 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS".        I'lf 

ihofe  moll  ancient  Patriarchs,  had  larger  ex- 
^plications  and  comments  of  the  firft  promife 
given  them  than  Mofes  has  recorded. 

The  gofpel  was  renewed  by  revelations  made 
to  Abraham,  when  the  Meffiah,  the  Saviour, 
was  promifed  to  fpring  out  of  his  family:  u  In 
4<  thy  feed  (hall  all  nations  of  the  earth  be 
blefled."  Which  promife  is  expreisly  called 
the  gofpel.  Gal.  in-  8.  There  was  alfo  a  type 
or  pattern  of  our  jufticfiation  by  faith  in  the 
way  of  the  gofpel,  when  'f  Abraham  believed 
"  God"  in  his  promiles,  &:c.  "  it  was  impu- 
M  tetl  to  him  for  righteoufnefs."  Ro?n.  v.  3. 

Mofes  had  a  much  larger  difcovery  or  the 
grace  and  mercy  of  God  toward  finful  mar> 
made  to  him,  ar:d  to  the  Jews  by  him,  than 
all  the  patriarchs  put  together  :  and  this  was 
sot  only  done  in  the  types,  and  figures,  and 
ceremonies,  not  only  in  altars,  facrifkes,  walk- 
ings, fprinklings,  purifications,  and  in  their 
redemption  from  Egypt,  their  miraculous 
falvations  in  the  wildernefs,  and  their  fafe  con- 
dud:  to  Canaan,  the  land  of  promifed  reft  : 
but  he  had  many  literal  and  exprefs  revela- 
tions of  pardoning  and  fanctifying  grace,  which 
are  fcattered  up  and  down  in  the  five  bjoks 
which  he  wrote,  and  which  he  gave  to  the 
children  of  Ifrael  to  direct  their  religion.  This 
is  alfo  called  the  gofpel,  Hek  iv.  2.  "  To 
c*  them  was  the  gofpel  preached  as  well  as 
"  unto  us,"  as  thofe  words  ougkt  to  be  trans- 
lated .     This  fame  gofpel  was  afterwards  con- 


112        THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTSv 

firmed,  illuftrated  and  enlarged  by  fucceeding 
prophets  in  the  feveral  ages,  of  the  Jewifli 
church. 

But  w  God,  who  at  fundry  times,  and  in 
?  divers  manners  fpoke"  this  gofpel  c;  to  our 
"fathers  by  the  prophets,  has  in  thefe  latter 
"  days"  publifhed  the  fame  to  us  in  a  bright- 
er manner,  "  by  his  Son  Jems,"  the  promot- 
ed Saviour.  Heb.  i.  i.  And  fince  the  death 
and  refurrccYion  of  Chrift,  the  apoftles  being 
fent  by  their  exalted  Lord,  have  given  yet 
plainer  and  fuller  declarations  of  this  gofpel  to 
the  children  of  men. 

And  upon  this  account  it  is-  feveral  times 
called  the  gofpel  of  Chrift-,  not  only  becaufe 
the  offices  and  grace  of  Chrift  run  through 
the  whole  of  it,  but  alfo  becaufe  the  cleared 
discoveries  of  it  arc  made  to  the  world  by 
Chrift,  and  by  his  meftengers  the  apoftles. 

Now  from  this  la  ft  and  fulled  revelation  of 
it  in  the  New  Teftament,  we  may  derive  a 
fuller  and  more  perfect  knowledge  of  the  gof- 
pel than  all  the  former  ages  could  attain. 
Hereby  we  learn  that  the  gofpel  is  a  "  prom- 

*  ife  of  falvation  from  fin  and  hell,  by  the 
"  death,  righteoufnefs,  and  grace  of  our  Lord 
n  JeJus  Chrift,  to  every  one  that  is  fincerely- 
u  willing  to  accept  ot  it  by  coming  to  Chrift, 
*c  or  trufting  in  him  ;"  and  it  includes  alfo 

*  the  promifed  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  thofe 
M  who  feek  it,  to  enable  them  to  receive  this 
w  falvation,  and  to  fit  them  for  the  final  pof- 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  PR.  WATTS,  I  IJ 

*'  felTion  of  the  promifed  glory."  It  includes 
alio  the  "  revelation  of  the  future  refurrec- 
"  tion,  and  laft  judgment,  and  eternal  life.'5 
To  this  end  did  the  tCSon  of  God  come  into 
"  the  world,  that  whoibever  believes  on  him 
i(  fhould  not  peril!),  but  have  ever  lading 
"life."  John  uu  16. 

orthodoxy  and  Christianity,  p.  2. 


THE  GREAT  DESIGN  6f  OUR  SAVIOUR'S  MINISTRY. 

THE  great  deilgn  of  our   Saviour   in  his- 
public  appearance  and  mini £hy  upon   earth, , 
was  to  prove  himielt  to-  wear  the  true  charac- 
ters of  the  Meffiah,  to  deliver  the  Jews  from 
many  falfe  expofitions  and  glofles  which-  the 
Scribes  and  Pharifees  of  that  day  had  given 
to  feveral  parts  of  icripture,  to  lead  the  world 
to  a  conviction-  of  their  fins,  andthereby  pre- 
pare them  to  receive  the  doctrine1  of  falvation 
with  more  zeal  and  defire  ;  whereas  the  falva- 
iion  itfelf,  and  the  manner  whereby  it  was: 
accomplifhed,  was  but  briefly  mentioned  in- 
fome  few  texts,  and  the  reft. was  left  to  be  ex- 
plained by  his  apoftles; 

ORTHODOXY    AND    CHRISTIANITY;    P>    £#> 


114         THE    BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS, 


ADVICE  WITH  RESPECT   TO    PREACHING    THL 
GOSPEL. 

Some  may  think  it  the  duty  and  bufinefs 
of  the  day  to  temporize,  and  by  preaching 
the  gofpel  a  little  more  conformably  to  natu- 
ral religion,  in  a  mere  rational  or  legal  form,, 
to  bring  it  down  as  near  as  may  be  to  their 
fcheme,  that  we  may  gain  them  to  hear  and 
approve  it,  or  at  leaft  that  we  may  not  offend 
them.  But  I  am  rather  of  opinion,  that  we 
fhould  in  fuch  a  day  ftand  up  for  the  defence 
of  the  gofpel  in  the  full  glory  of  its  moft  im- 
portant doctrines,  and  in  the  full  freedom  of 
its  grace  ;  that  we  fhould  preach  it  in  its  di- 
vinefl  and  moft  evangelical  form,  that  the 
crofs  of  Chrift,  by  the  promifed  power  of  the 
Spirit,  may  vaaquifh  the  vain  reafonings  of 
men,  and  that  this  defpifed  doctrine,  triumph- 
ing in  the  conversion  of  fouls,  may  confound 
the  wife  and  the  mighty,  and  filence  the  dif- 
puters  of  this  world.  This  was  the  bold  and 
glorious  method  St.  Paul  took  at  Corinth, 
where  learning  and  reafon  and  philofophy 
flourifhed  in  pride  ;  but  they  yielded  feveral 
trophies  of  victory  to  the  preaching  of  the 
crofs.  Paul  could  ufe  the  "  wifdom  of  words' * 
whenever  he  had  occafion  for  it,  and  had  the 
i:  excellency  of  Speech"  at  command  when 
he  pleafed  :  this  appears  in  feveral  parts  of 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  I  I  £ 

liis  writings  ;  yet  in  his  ferrnons  at  Corinth,, 
he  difclaimed  it  all,  and  "  determined  to  know 
"  nothing  among  them  but  Chrift,  and  him 
*s  crucified. "   i  Cor.  ii.  2. 

ORTHODOXY    AND    CHRISTIANITY,    P.    97> 


QRTHGDOX  AND  CHRISTIANITY. 

LET  our  converfation  be  fuch,  as  becomes 
the  gofpel  in  every  form  of  it,  whether  abso- 
lute or  conditional.  Let  our  clofe  walking 
with  God  be  exemplary  and  inftru&ive,  that 
men  may  fee  our  religion  as  well  as  hear  it, 
and  all  may  confefs  that  while  we  preach  the 
gofpel,  we  are  zealous  obfervers  of  the  law. 
Let  us  maintain  upon  our  own  hearts  a  tweet- 
and  honourable  fenfe  of  the  riches  of  free 
grace  in  Chrift,  together  with  a  tender  fenfe 
of  the  evil  of  fin,  and  a  lively  delight  in  holi- 
nefs,  that  the  daily  experience  of  our  own 
fouls,  and  our  inward  chriftianity  which  is 
taught  us,  and  wrought  in  us,  by  the  fpirit  of 
God,  may  inftruft  us  how  to  preach  to  ©th- 
us,. 

SRTHCDOXY    AND    CHRISTIANITY,    P,   93, 


3l6         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS* 


* 


EHE  EXPEDIENCY  OF  ENGAGING  THE  AFFECTIONS 
OF  THE  LOWER  CLASSES  OF  MANKIND. 

GOD  defigned  us  to  dwell  here  infuch  a 
wretched  world,  and  I  grant  it  is  no  fmall  part 
of  our  ftate  of  trial  :  but  to  alleviate  our  ua- 
happinefs,  he  has  mingled  in  the  mafs  of  man- 
kind fome  finer  veins,  fome  more  intellectual 
and  unprejudiced  fpirits,  in  whofe  converfa-- 
tion  wc  may  find  fuitable  delight,  atid  pleaf- 
ures  worthy  of  the  rational  nature.  Why 
mould  not  we  fuppofe  there  are  many  other 
minds  as  happily  turned  as  our  own,. and  of 
fuperior  fize,  and  more  divine  temper  ?  All- 
men  have  not  been  blefTed  with  our  advanta- 
ges, yet  their  native  felicity  of  thought  may 
tranfcend  ours.  And  as  for  the  reft,  God  hasr 
ordained  it  our  duty  to  aflbciatc  with  them 
for  valuable  ends  and  purpofes  in  his  provi- 
dence, which  regard  both  them  and  us.  It  is* 
our  bufinefs  to  endeavour  to  perfuade  them 
to  lay  afide  their  miftaken  notions,  to  remove 
all  the  bialTes  of  error  from  their  judgment, 
to  quench  their  indignation  againft  men  of 
different  opinions,  and  to  enlarge  their  narrow 
fouls,  though  we  find  it  a  difficult  work.  I 
have  often  feen  what  you  complain  of,  and 
have  been  ready  to  conclude  that  when  we 
have  to  do  with  vulgar  fouls,  we  fhould  not* 
kvifh  away  our  labour  to  convince  them  of" 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         I  If 

innocent  miftakes  in  matters  of  (mail  impor- 
tance, but  only  lay  out  our  thoughts  to  rec- 
tify their  notions  in  things  that  regard  their 
prefent  or  future  welfare.  And  when  we  re- 
flect, how  very  impotent  and  low  are  the  ca- 
pacities of  fome  ignorant  creatures  that  we 
have  to  do  with,  how  fhort  their  reaionings, 
how  few  their  advantages  to  improve  their 
minds,  how  uncapable  their  judgments  are 
of  growing  up  to  a  iolid  and  mature  ftate  by 
our  utmoft  cultivation,  and  how  unable  their 
minds  are  in  many  cafes  to  difcern  and  diflin- 
guifh  truth  ;  I  have  been  tempted  to  perfuade 
my felf,  it  is  not  difhoneft  policy  to  engage 
their  affections  a  little.  I  know  well,  that 
the  pafiions  were  never  made  to  judge  of 
truth  ;  but  if  we  find  perfons  who  will  never 
judge  by  any  other  rule,  I  would  make  en- 
quiry whether  we  might  not  in  fome  caies 
honeflly  make  ufe  of  this.  If  we  find  that 
affection  is  the  great  gate  of  entrance  into  the 
judgments  of  the  multitude,  and  reafon  is  but 
like  the  back-door,  or  fome  meaner  avenue, 
and  feldom  opened  to  let  in  a  doctrine  ;  may 
we  not  thence  infer,  that  the  fofter  arts  of 
winning  upon  men,  are  to  be  fludied  by  us  as 
well  as  hard  arguments. 

WH.&CTJt.    THOUGHT^   9i     195. 


X  1 3         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS* 


LIBERTY     OF    PRAYER. 

INDEED  in  the  uie  of  forms,  there  is  no 
need  of  binding  ourfelves  to  a  whole  page 
together,  as  it  ftands  in  the  book.  In  the 
name  of  God,  let  us  (land  fad  in  our  chriftian 
liberty,  and  maintain  a  juft  freedom  of  foul- 
in  our  addrefles  to  heaven  ;  let  us  change,, 
enlarge,  or  contract,  let  us  add  or  omit,  ac- 
cording to  our  peculiar  fentiments,  or  our 
prefent  frame  of  fpirit.  Mr.  Jenks,  a  pious 
divine  of  the  Church  of  England,  has  written 
an  excellent  treatife  on  the  liberty  of  Prayer, 
which  I  dare  recommend  to  every  fort  of  read- 
er. Butwhen  wefind  thetempcr,thewantsand 
the  willies  of  our  hearts  fo  happily  expreifed 
in  the  words  of  the  compofer,  as  that  we  know 
not  how  to  frame  other  words  fo  fuitable  and 
fo  expreflive  of  our  own  prefent  ftate  and 
cafe,  why  fhould  we  not  adcirefs  our  God  and 
our  Saviour  in  this  borrowed  language  ?  I 
confefs  indeed,  when  long  cu (lorn  has  induced 
a  fort  of  flatnefs  into  thefe  founds,  how  hap- 
pily foever  the  words  might  be  at  firft  chofen, 
then  perhaps  we  (hall  want  fomething  /new 
and  various  to  keep  nature  awake  to  the  de- 
votion. Or  if  we  flill  confine  ourfelves  en- 
tirely to  the  forms  we  read,  and  forbid  our 
fpirits  to  exert  their  own  pious  fentiments, 
we  turn  thefe  engines  of  holy  elevation  into 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS'.  II£ 

clogs  and  fetters.  But  when  chriftians  make 
a  prudent  ufe  of  them,  they  iiave  frequently 
experienced  unknown  advantage  and  delight. 
A  dull  and  heavy  hour  in  the  clofet  has  been 
relieved  by  the  ufe  of  fuch  devout  compof- 
ures  of  mingled  meditation  and  prayer  ;  and 
many  a  dry  and  barren  heart  has  been  enabled 
to  offer  up  the  firft  fruits  of  a  lweet  facrifice 
to  God  in  the  words  of  another  man.  The 
fire  of  devotion  has  been  kindled  by  the  help 
of  fome  ferious  and  pathetic  forms,  and  the 
ipirit  of  the  worfhipper,  which  has  been  ftrait- 
ened  and  bound  up  in  itfe if,  has  found  ablef- 
fed  releafe  by  the  pen  of  fome  pious  writer. 
The  wings  of  the  foul  have  been  flrft  expand- 
ed toward  God  and  heaven  by  fome  happy 
turn  of  fervent  and  holy  language  ;  fhe  has 
been  lifted  up  by  this  affiftance  above  the 
earth  and  mortality  ;  then  fhe  has  given  her- 
felf  a  more  unconfined  and  various  flight  in 
the  upper  regions,  fhe  has  traverfed  the  heav- 
enly world,  Ihe  has  felt  herfelf  within  the  cir- 
cle of  divine  attraction,  and  has  dwelt  an  hour 
with  God. 

M1SCIL.    THOUGHTS,  P.    207. 


RULE  FOR  TKE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  REASONING 

FACULTIES. 

ACCUSTOM  yourfelves  to  clear  anddif- 
tind  ideas,  to  evident  proportions,  to  ftrong 


120  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  BR.  WATTS. 

and  convincing  arguments.  Converfe  much 
with  thofe  men,  and  thole  books,  and  thole 
parts  of  learning,  where  you  meet  with  the 
greateft  clearneis  of  thought,  and  force  of 
reafoning.  The  mathematical  fciences,  and 
particularly  arithmetic,  geometry,  and  me- 
chanics, abound  with  thefe  advantages  :  and 
if  there  were  nothing  valuable  in  them  for  the 
ufes  of  human  life,  yet  the  very  fpeculativc 
parts  of  this  fort  of  learning  are  well  worth  our 
ftudy  ;  for  by  perpetual  examples  they  teach 
us  to  conceive  with  dearnefs,  to  connect  our 
ideas  and  proportions  in  a  train  of  depend- 
ence, to  reafon  with  ftrength  and  demonftra- 
tion,  and  to  diftinguifh  between  truth  and 
falfhood.  Something  of  thefe  Iciences  (hould 
be  fludied  by  every  man  who  pretends  to 
learning,  and  that,  as  Mr.  Locke  exprefles  it, 
"  not  fo  much  as  to  make  us  mathematicians, 
"  as  to  make  us  reafonable  creatures. " 

We  mould  gain  fuch  a  familiarity  with  ev- 
idence of  perception  and  force  of  reafoning, 
and  get  fuch  a  habit  of  difcerning  clear  truths, 
that  the  mind  may  be  foon  offended  withob- 
icurity  and  confufion  :  then  we  fhall,  as  it 
were,  naturally  and  with  eafe  reflrain  our 
minds  from  rath  judgment,  before  we  attain 
juft  evidence  of  the  proportion  which  is  of- 
fered to  us ;  and  we  fhall  with  the  fame  eafe, 
and,  as  it  were,  naturally  feize  and  embrace 
every  truth  that  is  propofed  with  juft  * 
dence. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  321 

This  habit  of  conceiving  clearly,  of  judg- 
ing juftly,  and  of  reafoning  well,  is  not  t®  be 
attained  merely  by  the  happinefsof  conftitu- 
tion,  the  brightneis  of  genius,  die  beft  natu- 
ral parts,  or  the  beft  collection  of  logical  pre- 
cepts :  it  is  cuftom  and  practice  that  muft 
form  this  habit.  We  muft  apply  ourfelves 
to  it  till  we  perform  all  this  readily,  and  with- 
out reflecting  on  rules.  A  coherent  thinker, 
and  a  ftrict  reafoner,  is  not  to  be  made  at 
once  by  a  fet  of  rules,  any  more  than  a  good 
painter  or  mufician  may  be  formed  extempore 
by  an  excellent  lecture  on  mufic  or  painting. 
It  is  of  infinite  importance  therefore  in  our 
younger  years  to  be  taught  both  the  value 
and  the  praitice-of  conceiving  clearly  and 
reafoning  right  :  for  when  we  are  grown  up 
to  the  middle  of  life,  or  pad  it,  it  is  no  won- 
der we  fliould  not  learn  good  reafoning,  any- 
more than  that  an  ignorant  clown  mould  not 
be  able  to  learn  fine  language,  dancing,  or 
courtly  behaviour,  when  his  ruftic  airs  have 
grown  up  with  him  till  the  age  of  forty. 

For  want  of  this  care,  fome  perfons  of  rank 
and  education  dwell  all  their  days  among  ob- 
fcure  ideas  ;  they  conceive  and  judge  always 
in  confufion,  they  take  weak  arguments  for 
demunftration,  they  are  led  away  with  the 
difguiies  and  iliadows  of  truth.  Now  if  fuch 
perfons  happen  to  have  a  bright  imagination* 
a  volubility  of  fpeech,  and   copioulhefs  of 

La 


122  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

language,  they  not  only  impofe  many  errors 
upon  their  own  underflandings,  but  they 
ftamp  the  image  of  their  own  miftakes  upon 
their  neighbours  alio,  and  fpread  their  er- 
rors abroad. 

LOGIC,    P.    '21. 


ADVICE   ON  THE  SUBJECT  OF  ARGUMENT. 

BE  not  fo  folicitous  about  the  number  as 
the  weight  of  your  arguments,  especially  in 
proving  any  propofition  that  admits  of  natu- 
ral certainty,  or  of  complete  demonftration. 
Many  times  we  do  injury  to  a  caufe  by  dwel- 
ling upon  trifling  arguments.  We  amufe 
our  hearers  with  uncertainties,  by- multiplying 
the  number  of  feeble  reafonings,  before  we 
mention  thofe  which  are  more  fubftantial, 
conclufive  and  convincing.  And  too  often 
we  yield  up  our  own  aflent  to  mere  proba- 
ble arguments,  where  certain  proofs  may  be 
obtained, 

iogic,  p.  33&. 

Labour  in  all  your  arguings  to  enlighten 
the  understanding,  as  well  as  to  conquer  and 
captivate  the  judgment.  Argue  in  fuch 
a  manner  as  may  give  a  natural,  diftinct 
and  folid  knowledge  of  things  to  your  hear- 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  1 pj 

ers,  as  well  as  to  force  their  affent  by  a  mere 
proof  of  the  quell  ion. 


EXCELLENT    USE    OF    SIMILITUDES.- 

SIMILITUDES  and  allufions  have  often- 
times a  very  happy  influence  to  explain  fome 
difficult  tiuth,  and  to  render  the  idea  of  it 
familiar  and  eafy.  Where  the  refemblance  is 
juft  and  accurate,  the  influence  of  a  fimiie 
may  proceed  ib  far  as  to  {hew  the  poffibility 
ot  die  thing  in  queftion  :  but  fimilitudes 
mud:  not  be  taken  as  a  folid  proof  of  the 
truth  of  exiflence  of  thofe  things  to  which 
they  have  a  refemblance.  A  too  great  de- 
ference paid  to  iimiiitudes,  or  an  utter  rejec- 
tion of  them,  feetn  to  be  two  extremes,  and 
ought -to  be  avoided.  The  late  ingenious 
Mr.  Locke,  even  in  his  enquiries  after  truth, 
makes  a  great  ufe  of  fimilies  for  frequent  il- 
lustration, and  is  very  happy  in  the  invention 
of  them,  though  he  warns  us  alfo  left  we 
miftake  them  for  conclufive  arguments. 

Yet  let  it  be  noted  here,  that  a  parable,  or 
a  fimilitude  ufed  by  any  author,  may  give  a 
fufficient  proof  of  the  true  fenfe  and  meaning 
of  that  author,  provided  that  he  draw  not 
his  fimilitude  beyond  the  fcope  and  defigrx 


124         THE    BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

for  which  it  was  brought ;  as  when  our  Sa- 
viour affirms,  Rev.  iii.  3.  "  I  will  come  unto 
"  thee  as  a  thief  ;"  this  will  plainly  prove 
that  he  defcribes  the  unexpeftednefs  of  his  ap- 
pearance, though  it  is  by  no  means  to  be 
drawn  tofignify  any  injujlice  in  his  deilgn. 

10GIC,  P.   33£. 


ENTRANCE    UPON    THE    WORLD. 

CURINO  was  a  young  man  brought  up 
to  a  reputable  trade  ;  the  term  of  his  appren- 
ticefhip  was  almoft  expired,  and  he  was  con- 
triving how  he  might  venture  into  the  world 
with  iafety,  and  purfue  bufinefs  with  inno- 
cence and  fuccefe.  Among  his  near  kindred, 
*erenus  was  one,  a  gentleman  of  considerable 
character  in  the  facred  profeffion  ;  and  after 
he  had  confulted  with  his  father,  who  was  a 
merchant  of  great  efteem  and  experience,  he 
alfo  thought  fit  to  feek  a  word  of  advice  from 
the  divine.  Seremts  had  fuch  a  refpect  for 
his  young  kinfman,  that  he  fet  his  thought 
at  work  on  this  fuhject,  and  with  feme  tender 
exprefiions,  which  melted  the  youth  into  tears, 
he  put  into  his  hand  a  paper  of  his  befl  coun- 
fels.  Curino  entered  upon  bufinefs,  purfued 
his  employment  with  uncommon  advantage, 
and  under  the  blefling  of  heaven  advanced 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         12$ 

himfelf  to  a  confiderable  eftate.  He  lived 
with  honour  in  the  world,  and  gave  a  luftre  to 
the  religion  which  he  profefTed  ;  and  after  a 
long  life  of  piety  and  ufefulnefs,  he  died  with 
a  facred  compofure  of  foul,  under  the  influ- 
ences of  the  chriftian  hope.  Some  of  his 
neighbours  wondered  at  his  felicity  in  this 
world,  joined  with  fo  much  innocence,  and 
fueh  fevere  virtue.  But  after  his  death  this 
paper  was  found  in  his  clofet,  which  was  drawn 
up  by  his  kinfman  in  holy  orders,  and  was 
fuppofed  to  have  a  large  mare  in  procuring 
his  happinefs, 


ADVICES  TO  A  YOUNG  MAN** 

c 

%  KINSMAN,  Iprefume  you  defire  to 
be  happy  here,  and  hereafter  -,  you  know  there 
are  a  thouiand  difficulties  which  attend  this 
purfuit  ;  fome  of  them  perhaps  you  forefee, 
but  there  are  multitudes  which  you  could 
never  think  of.  Never  truft  therefore  to  your 
own  underftanding  in  the  things  of  this  world, 
where  you  can  have  the  advice  of  a  wife  and 
faithful  friend  ;  nor  dare  venture  the  more 
important  concerns  of  your  foul,  and  your 
eternal  interefts  in  the  world  to  come,  upon 
the  mere  light  of  nature,  and  the  dictates  of 
L  a 


126  THE   BEAUTIES  OF   DR.  WATTS. 

your  own  reafon  ;  fince  the  word  of  God, 
and  the  advice  of  heaven,  lies  in  your 
liands.  Vain  and  thoughtlei's  indeed  are  thote 
children  of  pride,  who  choole  to  turn  Heath- 
ens in  the  mid  ft  of  Great-Britain  ;  who  live 
upon  die  mere  religion  of  nature  and  their 
own  ftock,  when  they  have  been  trained  up 
among  all  the  fuperior  advantages  of  chrif- 
tianity,  and  the  bleffings  of  divine  revelation 
and  grace. 

II.  Whatfoever  your  circumftances  may 
be  in  this  world,  ftiil  value  your  bible  as  your 
beft  treafure  ;  and  whatfoever  be  your  em- 
ployment here,  (till  look  upon  religion  as  your 
beft  bufinefs.  Your  bible  contains  eternal 
life  in  it,  and  all  the  riches  of  the  upper 
world  ;  and  religion  is  the  only  way  to  be- 
come a  pofleflbr  of  them. 

III.  To  direct  your  carriage  towards  God, 
con verfe  particularly  with  the  book  of  Pfalms  j 
David  was  a  man  of  fincere  and  eminent  de- 
votion. To  behave  aright  among  meR,  ac- 
quaint yourfelf  with  the  whole  book  of  Prov- 
erbs :  Solomon  was  a  man  of  large  experience 
and  wifdom.  And  to  perfect,  your  directions 
in  both  thefe,  read  the  Gofpels  and  the  Epif- 
tles  ;  you  will  find  the  beft  of  rules  and  the- 
beft  of  examples  there,  and  thofe  more  im- 
mediately fuited  to  the  chriftian  life. 

IV.  As  a  man,  maintain  ft ri 61  temperance 
and  fobriety,  by  a  wife  government  of  your 
appetites  and  pailions ;  as  a  neighbour,  i  nil  u- 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS*  I27 

ence  and  engage  all  around  you  to  be  your 
friends,  by  a  temper  and  carnage  made  up 
of  prudence  and  goodnefs  ;  and  let  the  poor 
have  a  certain  (hare  in  all  your  yearly  profits. 
As  a  trader,  keep  that  golden  fentence  of  our 
Saviour's  ever  before  you,  "  Whatlbever  you 
"  would  that  men  mould  do  unto  you,  do 
cc  you  alfo  unto  them." 

V.  While  you  make  the  precepts  of  fcrip- 
ture  the  conftant  rule  of  your  duty,  you  may 
witir courage  reft  upon  the  promifes  of  fcrip- 
ture  as.  the  fprings  of  your  encouragement. 
All  divine  affiftances  and  divine  reeompences 
are  contained  in  them.  The  fpirit  of  light 
and  grace  is  prom i fed  to  aflift  them  that  aik 
it.  Heaven  and  glory  are  promifed  to  reward 
the  faithful  and  the  obedient. 

V.I.  In  every  affair  of  life,  begin  with  God* 
Confult  him  in  every  thing  that  concerns  you. 
View  him  as  the  author  of  all  your  feleffings, 
and  all  your  hopes,  as  your  bed  friend,  and 
your  eternal  portion,  Meditate  on  him  in 
this  view,  with  a  continual  renewal  of  your 
truft  in  him,  and  a  daily  furrender  of  yourfelf 
to  him*  till  you  feel  that  you  love  him  mod 
entirely,  that  you  ferve  him  with  fincere  de° 
light,  and  that  you  cannot  live  a  day  without 
God  in  the  world. 

VII.  You  know  yourfelf  to  be  a  man, 
an  indigent  creature  and  a  finner,  and  you 
profefs  to  be  a  Chriftian,  a  difciple  of  the 
bleffed  Jefus  ;  but  never  think  you  know 


128  THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

Chrift  nor  yourfelf  as  you  ought,  till  you  find 
a  daily  need  of  him  for  righteoufnefs  and 
ftrength,  for  pardon  and  fatisfa&ion  ;  and 
let  him  be  your  conftant  introducer  to  the 
great  God,,  though  he  fits  upon  a  throne  of 
grace.  Remember  his  own  words,  John  xiv.  6. 
"  No  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  me." 

VIII.  Make  prayer  a  plcafure  and  not  a 
tafk,  and  then  you  will  not  forget  nor  omit 
it.  If  ever  you  have  lived  in  a  praying  fa- 
mily, never  let  it  be  your  fault  if  you  do  not 
live  in  one  always.  Believe  that  day,  that 
hour,  or  thoie  minutes,  to  be  all  wailed  and 
Ioft,which  any  worldly  pretences  would  tempt 
you  to  fave  out  of  the  public  worfhip  of  the 
church,  the  certain  and  conftant  duties  of  the 
clofet,  or  any  neceilary  fervices  for  God  and 
godlinefs.  Beware  left  a  blaftattend  it,  and  not 
a  blefllng.  If  God  had  not  referved  one  day 
in  feven  to  himfelf,  I  fear  religion  would  have 
been  loft:  out  of  the  world  ;  and  every 
day  of  the  week  is  expofed  to  a  cuffe  which 
has  no  morning  religion. 

IX.  See  that  you  watch  and  labour,  as 
well  as  pray.  Diligence  and  dependence 
muft  be  united  in  the  practice  of  every 
Chriftian.  It  is  the  fame  wife  man- acquaints- 
us,  that  the  hand  of  the  diligent,  and  the 
blefling  of  the  Lord,  join  together  to  make 
us  rich,  Prov.  x.  4,  22,  rich  in  the  treafures 
of  body  or  mind,  of  time  or  eternity. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         H9 

It  is  your  duty  indeed,  under  a  fenfe  of 
3rour  own  weaknefs,  to  pray  daily  againft 
fin  ;  but  if  you  would  effectually  avoid  it, 
you  muft  alfo  avoid  temptation,  and  every 
dangerous  opportunity.  Set  a  double  guard 
wherefoever  you  feel  or  fufpect  an  enemy  at 
hand.  The  world  without,  and  the  heart 
within,  have  fo  much  flattery  and  deceit  in 
them,  that  we  muft  keep  a  fharp  eye  upon 
both,  left  we  are  trapt  into  mifchief  between 
them. 

X.  Honour,  profit,  and  pleafure,  have 
been  fometimes  called  the  world's  Trinity, 
they  are  its  three  chief  idols  ;  each  of  them 
is  fufficient  to  draw  a  foul  off  from  God,  and 
ruin  it  for  ever.  Beware  of  them  there- 
fore and  of  all  their  fubtle  infmuations, 
if  you  would  be  innocent  or  happy. 

Remember  that  the  honour  which  comes 
from  God,  the  approbation  of  heaven,  and 
of  your  own  corifcience,  are  infinitely  more 
valuable  than  all  the  efteem  or  applaufe  of 
men.  Dare  not  venture  one  (rep  out  of  the 
road  of  heaven,  for  fear  of  being  laughed  at 
for  walking  ftrictly  in  it.  It  is  a  poor  reli- 
gion that  cannot  ftand  againft  a  jeft. 

Sell  not  your  hopes  of  heavenly  treafures, 
nor  any  thing  that  belongs  to  your  eternal  in- 
tereft,  for  any  of  the  advantages  of  the  pre- 
fent  life  :  "  What  (hall  it  profit  a  man 
"  to  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lofe  his  own 
«  foul  r 


130         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

Remember  alfo  the  words  of  the  wiie  mah, 
*'  He  that  loveth  pleafure  (hall  be  a  poor 
"  man  ;"  he  that' indulges  himfelf  in  c<  wine 
"  and  oil,"  that  is  drinking,  in  feallin2;,  and 
in  fenfual  gratifications,  "  (hall  not  be  rich*'* 
It  is  one  of  Paul's  characters  of  a  mod  degene- 
rate age,  when  "men  become  lovers  of  plea* 
"  (ure  more  than  lovers  of  God."  And  that 
"  flemly  lulls  war  againft  the  foul,"  is  St.  Pe- 
ter's caveat  to  the  Chriftians  of  his  time. 

XI.  Preferve  your  confeience  always  foft 
and  fenfible.  If  but  one  fin  force  its  way 
into  that  tender  part  of  the  foul,  and  dwell 
ealy  there,  the  road  is  paved  for  a  thoufand 
iniquities. 

And  take  heed  that  under  any  fcruple, 
doubt  or  temptation  whatfoever,  you  never 
let  any  reafonings  fatisfy  your  conlcience, 
which  will  not  be  a  fufBcient  anfweror  apol- 
ogy to  the  great  Judge  at  the  lafb  day. 

XII.  Keep  this  thought  ever  in  your  mind. 
It  is  a  world  of  vanity  and  vexation  in  which 
you  live  ;  the  flatteries  and  promifes  of  it 
vain  and  deceitful  ;  prepare  therefore  to 
meet  difappointments.  Many  of  its  occur- 
rences are  teizing  and  vexatious.  In  every 
ruffling  ftorm  without,  poiieis  your  fpirit  in 
patience,  and  let  all  the  calm  and  ferene 
within.  Clouds  and  tempefts  are  only  found 
in  the  lower  fkies  ;  the  heavens  above  are 
ever  bright  and  clear.  Let  your  heart  and 
hope  dwell  much  in  thefe  ferene  regions  >  live 


THE  EEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.        1  3  I 

as  a  ftranger  here  on  earth,  but  as  a  citizen 
of  heaven,  if  you  will  maintain  a  foul  at 
eafe. 

Xllf.  Since  in  many  things  we  offend  all, 
and  there  is  not  a  day  paries  which  is  per- 
fectly free  from  fin,  let  "  repentance  towards 
"  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jefus  thrift," 
be  your  daily  work.  A  frequent  renewal  of 
theie  exercifes  which  make  a  Chriftlan  at 
firft,  will  be  a  conftant  evidence  of  your  fin- 
cere  Chrillianity,  and  give  you  peace  in  life, 
and  hope  in  death. 

XIV.  Ever  carry  about  with  you  fuch  a 
fenfe  of  the  uncertainty  of  every  -thing  in 
this  life,  and  of  life  itielf,  as  to  put  nothing 
off  till  to-morrow,  which  you  can  convenient- 
ly do  to-day.  Dilatory  perfonsare  frequent- 
ly oppo'ed  to  furprife  and  hurry  in  every 
thing  that  belongs  to  them  :  the  time  is 
come  and  -they  are  unprepared.  Let  the 
concerns  of  )Tour  foul  and  your  (hop,  your 
tra^ie  and  your  religion,  lie  always  in  fuch  or- 
der, as  far  as  poffible,  that  death,  at  a  lliort 
warning,  may  be  no  occafion  of  a  difquiet- 
ing  tumult  in  your  fpirit,  and  that  you  may 
cfcape  the  anguifh  of  a  bitter  repentance  in 
a  dying  hour.     Farewel. 

Phronimus,  a  ccnfiderable  Eaft-land  mer- 
chant, happened  upon  a  copy  of  thefe  ad- 
vices about  the  time  when  he  permitted  his 
fon  to  commence  a  partnerfhip  with  him  in 
his  trade  ;  he  tranfcribed  them  with  his  own 


132         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

hand,  and  made  a  prefent  of  them  to  the 
youth,  together  with  the  articles  of  partner- 
fhip.  Here,  young  man,  faid  he,  is  a  paper 
of  more  worth  than  thefe  articles.  Read  it 
over  once  a  month,  'till  it  is  wrought  in  your 
very  foul  and  temper.  Walk  by  thefe  rules, 
and  I  can  truft  my  eftate  in  your  hands. 
Copy  out  thefe  counfels  in  your  life,  and  you 
will  make  me  and  yourfelf  eafy  and   happy. 

MISCJEL.    THOUGHTS,  P.    232. 


AGAINST  INDULGING  THE  ANGRY  PASSIONS, 

TAKE  care  of  giving  up  the  reins  entirely 
t©  an  angry  pafiion,  though  it  pretend  fin  for 
its  object,  left  it  run  to  an  ungovernable  ex- 
cefs.  It  is  St.  Pant's  counfel,  "  fee  angry, 
"  and  fin  not."  Ephef.  iv.  26.  fo  hard  it  is  to 
be  angry  upon  any  account  without  finning. 
It  was  a  happy  companion  (whofoever  firtt 
invented  it)  that  the  paffions  of  our  Saviour 
were  like  pure  water  in  a  clear  glafs  ;  make 
it  never  fo  much,  and  it  is  pure  (till ;  there 
was  no  defilement  in  his  holy  foul  by  the 
warmed  agitation  of  all  thofe  powers  of  his 
animal  nature  ;  but  ours  are  like  water  with 
mud  at  the  bottom,  and  we  can  fcarce  fhake 
the  glafs  with  the  gentled  motion,  but  the 
tnud  arifes,  and  diffufes  itfelf  abroad,  pollut- 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  133 

ing  both  the  water  and  the  vefTel.  Our  iras- 
cible paffions  can  fcarce  be  indulged  a  mo- 
ment, but  they  are  ready  to  defile  the  whole 
man. 

MIICEl.    THOUGHTS,    P,     l6l. 


Where  the  mere  appearance  of  an  angry 
paflion  will  attain  the  fame  end,  I  would  not 
choofe  to  give  myfelfthe  trouble  and  inquie- 
tude of  feeling  a  real  one.  Why  mould  I 
iuffer  my  blood  and  fpirits  to  riie  into  difor- 
der,.if  the  picture  of  anger  in  my  counte- 
nance, and  the  found  of  it  imitated  in  my 
voice,  will  effectually  difcourage  and  reprove 
the  vice  I  would  forbid  ?  If  I  am  but  wife 
enough  toraite  the  appearance  of  refentment5 
I  need  not  be  at  the  pains  to  throw  my  lei f 
into  this  uneafy  ferment.  Is  it  not  better 
for  me,  as  a  man  and  a  chrifthn,  to  maintain 
a  calm,  fedate  averiion  to  fin,  and  exprefs  my 
difl'ke  of  it,  fometimes  at  leaft,  rather  by  a 
counterfeit  than  real  anger.  If  hypocrify  be 
lawful  any  where,  furely  it  may  be  allowed  in 
this  cife  to  difTemble. 

MISCEL.    THOUGHTS,  T.    2$%, 

M 


34  THE  BEAUTIES'OF  DR.  WATTS, 


THE  REASON  OF  OUR  SAVIOUR  SPEAKING  IN  PAR- 
ABLES. 

SINCE  thefe  expreflionsof  our-Saviour  con- 
cerning ct  eating  his  flefh  and  drinking  his 
u  blood,"  found  very  harfh  andabfurd  in  the///- 
tera/lenfe  of  them,  we  mud  then  leek  out  the 
plained  and  trueft  figurative  fenfe  f  now  this 
is  very  near  at  hand,  and  might  be  obvious 
to  thofe  among  them  who  had  read  the  Jew- 
ilh  prophets  with  care.  When  he  tells  them 
that  the  "  living  bread  is  his  flefh,  which  he 
u  gives  for  the  life  of  the  world,"  John  vi.  51. 
it  gives  an  intimation  that  his  flefli  or  body 
was  to  be  broken  or  die  as  a  proper  facrifice 
of  atonement  for  our  guilt,  which  deferved 
death  ;  which  was  not  proper  to  be  fpoken 
too  publicly  and  plainly  in  his  life  time  :  and 
further  that  his  blood  was  to  be  ihed  for  the 
remiflion  of  our  fins,  and  to  procure  life  for 
us  :  and  that  we  mull  not  only  receive  his 
doctrine,  but  we  muft  trull  in  him  for  our 
remiflion,  and  feed  upon  this  facrifice  by  faith, 
as  the  Jews  eat  part  of  their  facrifices ;  and 
that  we  mud  live  upon  it  by  trulVmg  therein. 
And  fince  the  Mefliah  was  foretold  to  be 
made  an  offering  for  fin  by  the  prophets,  and 
fince  feeding  upon  fin-offerings  was  common 
to  the  Jewifh  religion,  Lev.  vi.  25,  26.  the 
thoughtlels  fitters  might  arrive  at  lomething 


THE  BEAUTIES  OP  DR.  WATTS.         135 

cf  the  fenfe  and  meaning  of  our  Saviour's 
meaning  in  this  figurative  language. 

But  iuppofe  the  Jews  when  he  frit  fpake 
it  could  not  well  underftand  him,  conlider 
they  had  abuled  his  perfon,  and  derided  his 
doctrine,  and  having  lo  far  rejected  the  light, 
they  deierved  to  be  left  in  darkne's,  amidfl 
figures  and  parables,t  as  Chrift  himfelf  de- 
clares, Mark  iv.  12. 

I  add  yet  further,  there  are  feveral  things 
which  Chrift  in  his  life-time  lpake  in  pro- 
phetic (or  parabolical  language,  for  this  reafon, 
as  1  before  hinted,  that  they  were  not  fit  and 
proper  to  be  ipoken  too  plainly  at  that  iea- 
ibn  ;  but  he  left  the  expreftions  to  be  ex- 
plained by  the  events.  The  death  of  Chrift, 
which  was  not  far  oft',  and  the  miniftry  of  the 
apoftles  quickly  afterward  reprefenting  his 
death  as  a  propitiation  for  our  fins,  gave  us  a 
plain  clew  to  lead  us  into  the  fenfe  of  Chrift 
in  theie  figurative  and  prophetic  fpeeches,  all 
which  are  fo  happily  accommodable  to  thefe 
ideas  and  doctrines  of  ChrifVs  atonement  for 
fin,  and  our  faith  therein,  as  gives  much  iat- 
isfaction  to  the  thinking  reader,  that  they 
were  deiigtied  and  intended  hereby. 

REDEEMER    AKO    SANCTIFIER,  P.     JJ. 


1*6  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


0.:  THE  SACRIFICE  OF  OUR  BLESSED  REDEEMER. 

TO  me  it  is  evident  as  the  fun-beams,  that 
while  the  NewTefbament  reftores  natural  re- 
ligion to  us  in  the  brighteit  and  faireft  light, 
and  lays  the  ftrongefl  obligations  on  us  to 
perform  all  the  duties  of  it  ;  yet  it  frill  fup- 
pofes  the  impoflibihty  of  our  falvation  there- 
by, through  our  own  incapacity  to  perform 
theie  duties  perfectly  ;  and  therefore  it  fets 
forth  to  our  view  the  blefled  facrilice  of  the 
Son  of  God,  which  is  the  only  true  and  prop- 
er facrifice  for  our  fins.  Nor  dees  it  fet  this 
atonement  in  the  room  of  our  endeavours  af- 
ter inward  religion  and  real  virtue,  but  in  the 
room  of  all  other  facrifices  whatfoever,  wheth- 
er Jewifh  or  gentile.  As  for  all  the  Jewifh 
offerings,  they  were  but  appointed  types  of 
the  facrifice  of  Chrift,  and  could  never  really 
atone  for  the  fins  of  mankind  againit  God  as 
ruler  of  the  world.  And  the  facrifices  of  the 
Gentiles,  what  were  they,  but  fubflitutions 
and  offerings  of  beads  or  men  upon  their  al- 
tars, fuch  as  God  never  appointed,  and  there- 
fore would  never  accept,  either  as  real  atone- 
ments, or  as  figures  of  the  true  propitiation  and 
Atonement.  This  is  the  mod  evident  fenfe 
of  St.  Pauly  in  Rom.  viii.  13.  "  There  is  no 
"  condemnation  of  them  who  are  in  Chrift 
"  Jefus,"  i.  e.  who  truft  in  him  as  the  medium 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  137 

of  their  pardon,  and  "  who  walk  not  after  the 
Ci  flefli,  but  after  the  Spirit,"  i.  e.  who  live 
holy  lives  :  "  what  the  law  could  not  do  in 
"  that  it  was  weak,"  and  unable  to  juftify  us 
through  cc  the  ftefn,"  /'.  e.  through  our  ina- 
bility to  perform  it,  God  has  done  this  by 
"  fending  Ins  own  Son  in  the  likenefs  of  fin- 
"  fui  flefh,  and  a  facrifice  for  fin,  (as  'tis  in 
"  the  Greek)  has  condemned  in  the  flefh,'* 
<kc.  and  thus  made  a  way  through  his  facri- 
fice of  atonement  for  our  juftification  and 
fancli  fixation. 

But  led  the  force  and  fign'ficancy  of  any 
of  tueie  kriptures  fhould  be  loft  for  want  of  a 
true  idea  of  what  I  mean  by  a  w'  proper  and 
compleat  atonement  made  "  for  the  fins  of 
c<  men,"  I  would  here  give  fome  general  ex- 
plication of  what  I  intend  by  the  word.  I 
do  not  pretend  to  fueh  accuracy  and  exact - 
nefs  of  definition,  as  might  be  expected  from 
a  civilian,  or  a  divine  ;*  but  1  would  fpeak 
what  I  take  to  be  the  common  fenfe  of  the 
thinking  part  of  mankind  in  this  matter,  and 
more  particularly  the  fenfe  of  the  writers  of 
the  Old  and  New  Teflament. 

By  atonement   for  fin   therefore,  I  do  not 
mean  any  fuch  thing  as  lhall  in  a  proper  and 
M  i 

*  The  author  does  not  fpeak  here  in  his  own  character  of  a  cler_ 
gyman  :  in  the  preface  to  the  work  from  which  this  extratt  is  made, 
he  fays,  •?  Let  it  be  remembered  that  this  book  is  but  a  fcrt  of  con- 
*'  verfation- piece  among  a  few  private  friends,  who  pretend  not  to 
(i  theological  accuracies.'' 


I38  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

literal  fenfe  appeaie  the  wrath  of  God,  the 
offended  Governor,  which  is  fuppofeti  to  be 
kindled  agaip.il  his  finful  creatures,  and  fhall 
incline  his  heart  to  mercy,  which  was  before 
determined  upon  vengeance  ;  for  though  this 
doctrine  may  be  re  pre  fen  ted  fo  me  times  after 
the  manner  of  men,  yet  this  is  an  idea  or  fun- 
pofition  in  many  refpe&s  inconhftent  with  the 
attributes  and  actions  of  the  bleffed  Gcd,  and 
with  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Teftament.  In 
that  book  God  reprefents  himfelf  as  tk  ricH  in 
mercy,"  and  for  this  reafon  he  pitied  finfui 
creatures,  who  had  broken  his  law,  and  had 
deferred  to  die,  before  he  had  received  any 
atonement  ;  and  therefore  God  himfelf  pro- 
vided and  lent  his  own  Son  to  become  a  fa- 
crifice  and  atonement,and  a  ranfom  for  them  ; 
he  appointed  him  to  be  a  furety  for  us,  "  the 
"  jufl  and  the  unjuft,"  and  to  fuffer  death  in 
the  room  and  ftead  of  finners. 

By  the  words  atonement  or  propitiation,  I 
mean  therefore  fome  toilfome  and  painful 
thing  to  be  done  or  fuffered,  or  both,  by  Jc- 
fus  Chrift  the  Son  of  God,  in  the  room  and 
ftead  of  finful  men,  as  a  penance  or  punifh- 
ment  on  the  account  of  their  fins  ;  and  this 
by  the  wife  and  righteous  appointment  of 
God  the  univerial  Governor,  mail  excufe  the 
penitent  offender  from  the  puniihment  that 
was  due,  and  obtain  his  pardon,  becaufe  ic 
ihall  give  a  recompense  to  the  authority  of 
the  divine  lawgiver  for.  the  affront  which  was 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  I39 

put  upon  him  by  the  fins  of  men,  and  fhall 
make  ibme  reparation  of  honour  to  his  holy 
law  which  was  broken.  And  this  is  not  only- 
intended  to  manifeft  the  evil  nature  and  the 
defert  of  (in,  together  with  God's  hatred  of 
ir  ;  but  it  mail  alio  anfwer  the  demand  and 
deiign  of  the  threatening  by  fuch  aclual  pain 
cr  punifhment,  though  'tis  laid  on  the  furety 
inftead  of  the  offender  ;  and  thus  it  may  fe- 
cure  the  law  from  being  wilfully  broken,  in 
time  to  come,  as  eflecliually  as  it  the  offenders 
themfelves  *ad  been  punifhed.  Such  a  pain, 
penance,  or  punilhment,  are  the  humiliation 
and  iiiiK'rings  of  Jefus  Chrift,  his  labours,  and 
forrows  :  and  'tis  in  this  fenfe  that  the  lan- 
guage of  expiation  or  atonement,  of  propitia- 
tion arid  ranfom,  is  fo  often  ufed.*  'Tis  in 
this  fenfe  that  he  was  faid  to  become  a  u  fa- 
u  crifice  for  us,  to  bear  our  fins  on  his  own 
*;  body  on  the  tree,"  and  u-  to  be  made  fin," 
or  4C  a  fin-  offering  for  us,  who  knew  no  fin" 
himfelf  :  in  this  fenfe  he  is  faid  to  be  *c  made 
"  a  curfe,"  and  "  fuffer  death  for  us,"  and 
to  Ki  redeem  us  from  it"  thereby,  becaufe  the 
law  curfes  every  tinner,  and  pronounces  death 
upon  him.     Now  by  thefe  appointed  fuffer- 

*  Chriil,  after  he  became  our  furety,  was  not,  nor  could  be  deliv- 
ered from  thcfe  farrows  which  were  the  puniihment  of  our  fins,  he 
being  ac  our  expiatory  facrince,  not  only  on  the  occasion  of  our  fm?> 
but  in  oar  ftead,  to  b?ar  the  purjihmc::t  of  our  iniquity.  JVtitby 
ci*  Hcb,  v.  ?> 


140  THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS, 

ings  of  the  Son  of  God,  in  the  room  and  (lead 
of  finful  men,  there  is  an  honourable  amends 
made  to  the  Governor  of  the  world  for  the 
violation  of  his  law,  and  a  glorious  way  made 
for  the  exercife  of  mercy  in  the  pardon  ot  the 
finner  ;  and  that  without  any  imputation  of 
reflection  upon  the  hoJinefs  of  God's  nature 
and  conduct,  or  any  fufpicion  of  the juftice 
of  his  government,  as  if  he  would  connive  at 
fin  ;  fince  he  dilcovers  and  declares,  that  in 
his  palling  by  all  the  fins  of  his  people  in  for- 
mer ages,  and  in  pardoning  and  "juftifying" 
finners  now  <f  who  believe  in  Chnft,"  he  will 
manifeft  juftice  or  righteoufnefs  by  requiring 
fuch  a  facrifice  whereby  (in  fhall  be  puniihed, 
though  the  linner  be  fpared.  This  is  the 
plain  meaning  of  the  apoftle,  Rom.  in.  24,  25, 
26,  "  Being  juftified  freely  by  his  grace, 
"  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jefus 
**  Chrift,  whom  God  hath  fet  forth  to  be  a 
c<  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to 
"  declare  his  righteouinels  for  the  remiffion 
"  of  fins  that  are  pad,  through  the  forbear- 
"  ance  of  God  :  to  declare,  I  fay,  at  this  time 
"  his  righteouinels,  that  he  might  be  juft,  and 
5?  thejuftifierof  him  that  belie veth  in  Jefus:" 
which  text  our  fathers  have  ever  thought  an 
unanfwerable  proof  as  well  as  a  clear  explica- 
tion of  this  doctrine.  And  I  think  there  is 
abundant  reafon  in  (cripture  for  us  to  fupport 
this  ientiment  of  our  fathers,  though  ail  the 
modern  writers  fhould  agree  to  oppofe  it. 

REBEEMER    ANB  SANCTIF IER,  P.    if. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  PR.  WATTS.  141 


CURIOSITY  TO  BE  ENCOURAGED  IN  YOUNG  PER- 
SONS. 

CURIOSITY  is  a  ufeful  fpring  of  knowl- 
edge :  it  fhould  be  encouraged  in  children, 
and  awakened  by  frequent  and  familiar  meth- 
ods of  talking  with  them.  It  fhould  be  in- 
dulged in  youth,  but  not  without  a  prudent 
moderation.  In  thofe  who  have  too  much 
it  fhouid  be  limited  by  a  wife  and  gentle  re- 
ftraint  or  delay,  left  by  wandering  after  ^very 
thing,  they  learn  nothing  to  perfection.  In 
thofe  who  have  too  little,  it  fhould  be  excit- 
ed, left  they  grow  ftupid,  narrow  ipirited, 
felf-fatisfied,  and  never  attain  a  treafure  of 
ideas,  or  an  aptitude  of  underftanding. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,   P.    IO, 


FAULT  OF  YOUNG  PREACHERS  REPROVED. 

YOUNG  Preachers  juft  come  from  the 
fchools,  are  often  tempted  to  fill  their  fermons 
with  logical  and  metaphyseal  terms  in  ex- 
plaining their  text,  and  feed  their  hearers 
with  fonorous  words  of  vanity.  This  fcholaf- 
tic  language,  perhaps  may  flatter  their  own 
ambition,  and  raife  a  wonderment  at  their 


142'  THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

learning  among  the  daring  multitude,  with- 
out any  manner  of  influence  toward  the  in- 
flrucrion  of  the  ignorant,  or  the  reformation 
of  the  fmtnoral  or  impious  :  thefe  terms  of 
art  are  but  'he  tools  of  an  artificer,  by  which 
his  work  is  wrought  in  private  ;  but  the  tools 
ought  not  to  appear  in  the  rimmed  work- 
manship. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,  P.     15. 


GENTLENESS  OF  ADDRESS  SUCCESSFUL  IN  CONVIN- 
CING OUR  OPPONENTS. 

THE  fofteft  and  gentleft  addrefs  to  the 
erroneous,  is  the  heft  way  to  convince  them 
of  their  miftake.  Sometimes  'tis  neceffary  to 
reprefent  to  your  opponent,  that  he  is  not  far 
oft  from  the  truth,  and  that  you  would  fain 
draw  him  a  little  nearer  to  it  -,  commend  and 
eftablifh  whatever  he  fays  that  is  juft  and 
true,  as  ourbleded  Saviour  treated  the  young 
fcribe,  when  he  aniwered  well  concerning  the 
two  great  commandments ;  cv  Thou  art  not 
"  far,  fays  our  Lord,  from  die  kingdom  of 
"  heaven,"  Mark  xii.  34.  Imitate  the  mild- 
nefs  and  conduct  of  the  blefled  Jefus. 

Come  as  near  to  your  opponent  as  you  can 
in  all  your  proportions,  and  yield  to   him  as 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  I43 

much  as  you  dare,  in  a  confidence  with  truth 
andjuftice. 

'Tis  a  very  great  and  fatal  miftake  in  per- 
fons  who  attempt  to  convince  or  reconcile 
others  to  their  party,  when  they  make  the 
difference  appear  as  wide  as  pGffible  :  this  is 
mocking  to  any  perfon  who  is  to  be  convin- 
ced, he  will  choole  rather  to  keep  and  main- 
tain his  own  opinions,  if  he  cannot  come  into 
yours  without  renouncing  and  abandoning 
every  thing  that  he  believed  before.  Human 
nature  muft  be  flattered  a  little  as  well  as 
reafoned  with,  that  fo  the  argument  may  be 
able  to  come  at  his  underftanding,  which  oth- 
erwife  will  be  thruft  off  at  a  diftance.  If  you 
charge  a  man  with  nonfenfe  and  abfurdities, 
with  herefy  and  felf- contradiction,  you  take  a 
very  wrong  ftep  towards  convincing  him. 

Remember  that  error  is  not  to  be  rooted 
out  of  the  mind  of  man  by  reproachings  and 
railings,  by  flaffies  of  wit  and  biting  jefts,  by 
loud  exclamations  or  (harp  ridicule  :  long  de- 
clamations and  triumph  over  our  neighbour's 
miftake,  will  not  prove  the  way  to  convince 
him  ;  thefe  are  figns  either  of  a  bad  cauie,  or 
of  want  of  arguments  or  capacity  for  the  de- 
fence of  a  good  one. 

POSTH»MOtTS    WORKS,  P.    24. 


144         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS, 


THE  PROGRESSIVE  EXPIRATION  OF-PARENTAL 
AUTHORITY. 

IT  is  bard  to  fay,  at  what  exact  time  of 
life,  the  child  is  exempted  from  the  fovereign- 
ty  ol  parental  dictates.  Perhaps  it  is  much 
jufter  to  fuppofe  that  this  fovereignty  dimin- 
ifhes  by  degrees  as  the  child  grows  in  under- 
standing and  capacity,  and  is  more  and  mere 
capable  of  exerting  his  own  intellectual  pow- 
ers, than  to  limit  this  matter  by  months  and 
years. 

When  childhood  and  youth  are  fo  far  ex- 
pired, that  the  reaioning  faculties  are  grown 
.up  to  any  juft  meafure  of  maturity,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  perfons  ought  to  bcjgln  to  enquire 
into  the  reafons  of  their  own  faith  and  prac- 
tice in  ali  the  affairs  of  life  and  religion  :  but 
as  reafon  does  not  arrive  at  this  power  and 
felf-fufficiency  in  any  fjngle  moment  ot  time, 
fo  there  is  no  fmgle  moment  when  a  -child 
mould  at  once  call  off  all  its  former  beliefs 
and  practices  ;  but  by  degrees  and  in  flow 
fucceffion  he  fhould  examine  them  as  oppor- 
tunity and  advantages  offer  ;  and  either  con- 
firm, or  doubt  of,  or  change  them,  accord- 
ing to  the  leadings  of  conicience  and  reafon, 
with  all  its  bed  advantages  of  information. 

POSTIIVMOUS    WORKS,  P.    4  0. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  145 


IMPLICIT  OBEDIENCE  DUE  TO  DIVINE  REVELATION. 

WHERE  doctrines  of  divine  revelation 
are  plainly  published,  together  with  fufficient 
proofs  of  their  revelation,  all  mankind  arc 
bound  to  receive  them,  though  they  cannot 
perfectly  underftand  them  ;  for  we  know  that 
God  is  true,  and  cannot  dictate  falfhood. 

POSTHUMOUS    WO.RKS,    P.    44. 


ANCIENT   ROUGHNESS  AND  MODERN  REFINEMENT 
OF  LANGUAGE  CONTRASTED  AND  CENSURED. 

SOME  of  our  fathers  neglected  politenefs 
perhaps  too  much,  and  indulged  a  coarfenefs 
ot  ftile,  and  a  rough  or  aukward  pronuncia- 
tion ;  but  we  have  fucha  value  for  elegancy, 
and  lb  nice  a  tafte  for  what  we  call  polite, 
that  we  dare  not  fpoil  the  cadence  of  a  period 
to  quote  a  text  of  fcripture  in  it,  nor  difturb 
the  harmony  of  our  fentences,  to  number  or 
to  name  the  heads  of  our  difcourfe.  And  for 
this  reafon,  I  have  heard  it  hinted,  that  the 
name  of  Chrift  has  been  banifhed  out  of  po- 
lite fermons,  becaufe  it  is  a  monyfyllable  of 
io  many  confonants,  and  fo  harm  a  found. 

POSTHUMOUt'  WORK.S,    P.    8$, 

N 


I46         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


ADVICETO    AUTHORS, 

AS  a  writer  or  a  fpeaker  fhould  not  wander 
from  his  fubject  to  fetch  in  foreign  matter 
from  afar,  fo  neither  fhould  he  amafs  togeth- 
er and  drag  in  all  that  can  be  fatd,  even  on 
his  appointed  theme  of  difcourie  >  but  he 
mould  confider  what  is  his  chief  defign,  what 
is  the  end  he  hath  in  view,  and  then  to  make 
every  part  of  his  difcourfe  fubferve  that  de- 
fign.  If  he  keep  his  great  end  always  in  his 
eye,  he  will  pafs  haftily  over  thofe  parts  or 
appendages  ot  his  fubject  which  have  no  evi- 
dent connection  with  his  defign,  or  he  will 
entirely  omit  them,  and  haften  continually 
towards  his  intended  mark  ;  employing  his 
time,  his  ftudy  and  his  labour,  chiefly  on  that 
part  of  his  fubject  which  is  moft  neceflary  to 
attain  his  prefent  and  proper  end. 

POSTHUMOUS   WORKS,    P.    87. 

When  an  author  defires  a  friend  to  revife 
his  work,  it  is  too  frequent  a  practice  to  dif- 
allow  almoft  every  correction  which  a  judi- 
cious friend  would  make  ;  he  apologizes  for 
this  word,  and  the  other  expreflion  ;  he  vin- 
dicates this  fentence,  and  gives  his  reafons 
for  another  paragraph,  and  fcarce  ever  fub- 
mits  to  correction  ;  and  this  utterly  difcour- 
ages  the  freedom  that  a  true  friend  would 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF   DR.  ^CVATTS.  I47 

take,  in  pointing  out  our  miftakes.  Such 
writers  who  are  io  full  of  themfelves,  may  go 
on  to  admire  their  own  uncorrect  perform- 
ances, and  expofe  their  works  and  their  follies 
to  the  world  without  pity. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,    P.    89, 

If  you  have  not  the  advantage  of  friends 
to  furvey  your  writings,  then  read  them  over 
yourfelf,  and  ail  the  way  confider  what  will 
be  the  fentence  and  judgment  of  aii  the  vari- 
ous characters  of  mankind  upon  them  :  think 
what  one  of  your  own  party  would  fay,  or 
what  would  be  the  ienle  of  an  adveriary  : 
imagine  what  a  curious  or  a  malicious  man, 
what  a  captious  or  an  envious  critic,  what  a 
vulgar  or  a  learned  reader  would  object,  eith- 
er to  the  matter,  the  manner,  or  the  flile  : 
and  be  fare  and  think  with  yourfelf,  what  you 
yourfelf  could  fay  againft  your  own  writingr 
if  you  were  of  a  different  opinion,  or  a  Gran- 
ger to  the  writer  :  and  by  thefe  means  you 
will  obtain  fome  hints,  whereby  to  correcl 
and  improve  your  own  work,  and  to  guard  it 
better  againft  the  cenfures  of  the  public,  as 
well  as  to  render  it  more  ufeful  to  that  part 
of  mankind  for  whom  you  chiefly  deflgn  it. 

P0STHUM9US    WORKS,  P.    9^- 


I48  THE  BEAUTIES  OP  DR.  WATTS. 


METHOD  OF  STRENGTHENING  THE  MEMORY  OF 
CHILDREN. 

I  HAVE  known  children,  who  from  their 
early  years  have  been  conttantly  trained  up 
and  tiught  to  remember  a  few  icntences  of  a 
fermon  befides  the  text,  and  by  this  means 
have  grown  up  by  degrees  to  know  ail  the 
diftmcl  parts  and  branches  of  a  difcourle,  and 
in  time  to  write  down  halt  the  fermon  after 
they  came  home,  to  their  own  confoiation, 
and  the  improvement  of  their  friends :  where- 
as thole  who  have  been  never  taught  to  ufe 
their  memories  in  their  younger  parts  of  life, 
lofe  every  thing  from  their  thoughts  when  it 
is  pad  off  from  their  ears,  and  come  home 
from  noble  and  edifying  difcourfes,  pleated 
(it  may  be)  with  the  traniient  found,  and 
commending  the  preacher,  but  uninliructed, 
unimproved,  without  any  growth  in  knowl- 
edge or  piety. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,   P.     1 14. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  MORAL  DUTY  TO  BE  ENCOURA- 
GED IN  CHILDREN. 

CONSCIENCE  is  another  natural  power 
of  the  foul,  wherein  the  principles  of  virtue 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  149- 

and  rules  of  duty' to  God  and  man  are  to  be 
laid  up  :  it  is  fomething  within  us  that  calls 
us  to  account  for  our  faults,  and  by  which 
we  pafs  a  judgment  concerning  ourfeives  and' 
our  actions. 

Children  have  a  confcience  within  thenv 
and  it  mould  be  awakened  early  to  its  duty. 
They  mould  be  taught  to  reflect  and  look 
back  upon  their  own  behaviour,  to  call  them. 
felves  often  to  account,  to  compare  their 
deeds  with  thofe  good  rules  and  principles 
laid  up  in  their  minds,  and  to  fee  how  far 
they  have  complied,  with  them,  and  how  far 
they  have  neglected  them.  Parents  fhould 
teach  their  children  to  pay  a  religious  reipect 
to  the  inward  dictates  of  virtue  within  them,, 
to  examine  their  actions  continually  by  the 
light  of  their  own  confidences,  and  to  rejoice 
v/hen  they  can  approve  themfelves.to  their 
own  minds,  that  they  have  acted  well  accord- 
ing to  the  beft  of  their  knowledge  :  they 
ought  a Ifo  to  attend  to- the  inward  reproofs  of 
conscience,  and  mourn,  and  be  afhamed,  and 
repent  vvhen  they  have  finned  againft  their 
light.  It  is  of  admirable  ufe  toward  all  the 
practices  of  religion  and  every  virtue,  to  have 
confcience  well  flored .with  good  principles,. 
and  to  be  always  kept  tender  and  watchful  ; 
it  is  proper  that  children  mould  learn  to  rev- 
erence and  obey  this  inward  monitor  betimes, 
that  every  wilful  fin  may  give  their  confciences 


I^O  THE   BEAUTIES  OF    DR.  WATTS. 

a  fenfible  pain  and  uneafinefs,  and  that  they 
may  be  diipoied  to  facrifice  every  thing  elie 
to  confederations  of  confcience,  and  to  endure 
any  extremities  rather  than  act  contrary  to  it. 

JOiTHUMOUb    WORKS,   P.     117, 


ILL  CONSEQUENCES  OE  TERRIFYING   YOUNG  MINDS 
BY  DISMAL  NARRATIVES. 


LET  not  any  perfons  that  are  near  them 
terrify  their  tender  minds  with  difmal  ltories 
of  witches  and  ghofts,  of  devils  and  evil  fpir- 
its,  of  fairies  and. bug  bears  in  the  dark.  This 
hath  had  a  mod  mifchievous  effect,  on  fome 
children,  and  hath  fixed  in  their  conftitutions 
iuch  a  rooted  ilavery  and  fear,  that  they  have 
fcarce  dared  to  be  left  alone  all  their  lives, 
efpecially  in  the  night.  Thefe  ftories  have 
made  fuch  a  deep  and  frightful  impreffion  on 
their  tender  fancies,  that  it  hath  enervated 
their  fouls,  it  hath  broken  their  fpirits  early, 
it  hath  grown  up  with  them,  and  m ingled 
with  their  religion,  it  hath  laid  a  wretched 
foundation  for  melancholy  and  diffracting 
ibrrows.  Let  thefe  fort  of  informations  be 
referved  for  their  firmer  years,  and  let  them 
not  be  told  in  their  hearing  till  they  can  bet- 
ter judge  what  truth  or  reality  there  is  in 
them,  and  be  made  fenfible  how  much  is 
©wing  to  romance  and  fiction*  t 


THE   BEAUTIES   OF   DR.  WATTS.         I£l 

Nor  let  their  little  hearts  be  frighted  at 
three  or  four  years  old  with  (hocking  and 
bloody  hiftories,  with  mafiacres  and  martyr- 
doms, with  cuttings  and  burnings,  with  the 
images  of  horrible  and  barbarous  murders, 
with  racks  and  red  hot  pincers,  with  engines, 
of  torment  and  cruelty,  with  mangled  limbs, 
and  carcafes  drenched  in  gore.  It  i*  time 
enough,  when  their  fpirits  are  grown  a  little 
firmer,  to  acquaint  them  with  theie  madnefTes 
and  miferies  of  human  nature.  There  is  no 
need  that  the  hiftory  of  the  holy  confeffors 
and  martyrs  mould  be  fet  before  their  thoughts 
fo  early  in  all  their  moft  ghaftly  fhapes  and 
colours.  Thefe  things,  when  they  are  older, 
may  be  of  excellent  uie  to  diicover  to  them 
the  wicked  and  bloody  principles  cf  perfecu- 
tion,  both  among  the  Heathens  and  Papifts ; 
and  to  teach  them  the  power  of  the  grace  of 
Chrift,  in  iupporting  thefe  poor  fufTerers  un- 
der all  the  torments  which  they  fuftained  for 
the  love  of  God  and  truth. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,   P.    Il6, 


PARTICULAR  PARTS  OF  THE  BIBLE  NOT  TO  BE 
.      READ  BY  CHILDREN. 

THERE  mould  be  a  wife  conduct  in 
Clewing  children  what  parts  of  the  Bible  they 


1^2  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

ffiould  read  :  for  though  the  word  of  God 
exprefTeth  all  things  with  due  decency,  yet- 
there  are  Come  things  which  have  been  found 
fiecerTary  to  be  fpoken  of  in  fcripture,  both 
in  the  laws  of  Mofes,  and  in  the  reprefenta- 
tion  of  the  wickednefs  of  the  Gentiles  in  the 
New  Teftament,  in  which  adult  perfons  have 
been  concerned,  which  there  is  no  necefTity 
for  children  to  read  and  hear,  and  they  may 
be  pafTed  over,  or  omitted  among  them.  The 
Jews  were  wont  to  withhold  Solomon's  fong 
from  their  children  till  they  were  thirty  years 
old  :  and  the  late  pious  and  prudent  bifhop 
Tillotfcn  (in  a  manufcript  which  I  have  ken) 
wilhes  that  thofe  par's  of  .the  Bible  wherein 
are  fome  of  the  affairs  of  mankind  expreifed 
"too  naturally"  (as  lie  calls  it)  were  omitted 
in  the  public  leffbns  of  the  church  :  I  think 
they  may  as  well  be  excepted  alio  out  of  the 
common  leflbns  of  children,  and  out  of  the 
daily  courfe  of  reading  in  family  worlhip. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,  P.    169. 


RULES    FOR   MODERATING    OUR    ANGER. 

OUR  natures  are  fo  perverfe  and  corrupt,, 
that  it  is  very  hard  for  us  to  give  a  loofe  to  any 
angry  paflion  againft  men,  without  running 
into  fome  fentiments  of  malice  or  revenge, 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  253 

and  thereby  finning  againft  God.  Our  anger 
is  very  apt  to  kindle  about  trifles,  or  upon 
mere  fufpicion,  without  juft  caufe  ;  or  fome- 
times  riles  too  high  where  the  caufe  may  be 
juft  ;  or  it  continues  too  long,  and  turns  in- 
to hatred  :  and  in  either  of  thefe  three  cafes 
it  becomes  finful. 

It  is  therefore  with  the  utmofl  caution  that 
this  paffion  fhould  ever  be  fuffered  to  arife  ; 
and  unlefs  we  quickly  fuppreis  it  again,  we 
fhall  be  in  great  danger  of  bringing  guilt  up- 
on our  fouls.  The  blefled  apoftle  therefore 
connects  the  permifiion,  the  caution,  and 
reftraint  together,  Eph,  iv.  26.  "  Be  angry, 
<c  and  fin  not :  kt  not  the  fun  go  down  up* 
"  on  your  wrath." 

DOCTRiNE    OF    THE    PASSIONS,  P.    135, 

Let  your  defires  and  averfions  to  the 
common  objects  and  occurrences  in  this  life 
be  bat  few  and  feeble.  Make  it  your  daily 
bufinefs  to  moderate  your  averfions  and  de- 
fires,  and  to  govern  them  by  reafon.  This 
will  guard  you  againft  many  a  ruffle  of  fpirit 
both  of  anger  and  forrow. 

DOCTRINE    OF    THE    PASSIONS.    P.   I37.  . 

Suffer  not  your  thoughts  to  dwell  on  the 
injuries  you  have  received,  or  of  the  provok- 
ing words  that  have  heen  fpoken  againft  you, 
Not  only  learn  the  art  of  neglecting  injuries 
at  the  time'  you  receive  them,  but  let  thdm 


1^4         THE    BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

grow  lefs  and  lefs  every  moment,  till  they  die 
out  of  your  mind.  Suffer  not  your  mufing 
imagination,  when  you  are  alone,  to  fweli 
and  magnify  the  provocations  that  have  been 
given  you,  nor  to  blow  up  the  fire  of  this 
uneafy  paflion. 

Avoid  much  converfation  with  men  of 
wrath,  and  endeavour  to  keep  clear  of  all  dis- 
putes with  weak  minds,  with  obftinate  Ipirits, 
and  efpecially  with  perfons  of  an  angry  and 
peevifh  temper,  as  tar  as  you  can.  if  the 
flint  and  flecl  ftrike  again  ft  each  other  in  a 
way  of  difpute,  the  fparks  of  fire  will  be  rea- 
dy to  fly  out,  and  the  angry,  flame  will  be 
kindled. 

"  Love  ygnr  neighbours  as  yourfelf."  You 
are  not  immediately  kindled  into  wrath  a- 
gainft  yourfelf,  nor  exprefs  it  with  fuch  vio- 
lence, though  you  have  often  done  yourfelf 
more  injury  by  your  own  fins  than  all  other 
perfons  ever  could  do  you.  You  do  not  bear 
malice  againfl  yourfelf,  nor  hate  yourfelf, 
though  you  have,  perhaps,  fome  evil  qualities 
belonging  to  you,  and  you  have  often  finned 
againft  your  own  foul  :  you  forbear  yourfelf 
long,  and  you  forgive  yourfelf  eafily  :  learn 
then  to  forbear  and  forgive  your  neighbours. 

DOCTRINE    OF     THE    PASSIONS,    P.    I3S. 

Anger  is  a  fhort   madnefs  -9  it  throws  a 

perfon  off  his  guard  ;  neither  the  truth   nor 

eafon  appear  to  him  as  reafun  or  truth  :  the 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         155 

violence  of  the  paflion  throws  off  all  re- 
ftaints,  the  phrenzy  difdains  all  law  and  juf- 
tice  ;  and  drives  the  man  to  wild  extrava- 
gance. Is  this  the  lovely,  the  deferable,  pat- 
tern that,  you  choci'e  to  imitate  ?  Do  you 
like  -this  figure  fo  weii  as  to  put  it  on  your- 
felf  ? 

Live  always  under  the  eye  of  God,  and 
fupprefs  riling  anger  with  the  reverence  of 
his  name  and  pre  fence.  Remember  that  a 
holy  God  and  holy  angels  behold  you  ;  and 
are  you  notafhamed  to  appear  in  their  fight 
under  all  the  extravagant  diforders  of  this 
paflion  ?  Remember  the.  dignity  of  your  na- 
ture as  man,  and  your  character  as  a  Chrif- 
tian,  and  a  child  of  God. 

Keep  the  fa  erect  example  of  Jefus  ever  be- 
fore your  eyes  :  how  meek  under  the  vileft 
affronts  1  how  patient  under  the  rudeft  in- 
juries and  mod  barbarous  treatment  !  how 
forgiving  even  to  his  bloody  murderers  1 
how  did  he  return  the  higheft  good  for  the 
greateft  evil  !  and  paid  down  his  blood  and 
life  to  redeem  his  enemies  from  hell,  and  to 
purchafe  eternal  joy  and  glory  for  them  ! 
"  Let  fuch  a  mind  be  in  you  as  was  in 
<c  Chrifl  the  Son  of  God,  who  being  reviled, 
"  reviled  not  again  j  and  when  he  fuffered, 
"  he  threatened  not  :  leaving  us  an  example 
IC  that  we  mould  follow  his  fteps." 

DOCTRINE    OF     THE    PASSIONS,    P.  l$U 


Ijj6        THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

It  is  faid,  concerning  Julius  Csefar,  that  up- 
on any  provocation,  he  would  repeat  the  Ro- 
man alphabet,  before  he  fuffered  himfelf  to 
fpeak,  that  he  might  be  more  juft  and 
calm  in  his  reientments.  The  delay  of  a 
few  moments  has  fet  many  feeming  affronts 
in  a  jufter'and  kinder  light  ;  it  has  often  lef- 
fened,  if  not  annihilated,  the  fuppofed  injury  s 
and  prevented  violence  and  revenge. 

»OCTRINI    OF     THE    fASSIONS,    V.  I43. 

Think  with  yourfelf,  how  much  injury 
you  do  yourfelf  by  fufFering  your  angry  paf- 
fions  to  rife  and  prevail.  The  fire  of  wrath 
and  refentment  preys  upon  your  nature, 
deftroys  your  health  and  your  eafe,  fills 
your  ipirits  with  tumults  and  difquie- 
tudes,  expoies  you  to  fhame  before  men, 
breaks  the  peace  of  your  confcience,  brings 
you  under  guilt  before  God,  and  makes  a 
painful  preparation  for  bitter  repentance. 
Why  will  you  punifli  yourfelf  becaufe 
another  has  injured  you  ?  or,  if  another  man 
be  rude  and  wrathful,  ill-natured  and  ill-bred, 
why  will  you  imitate  him  and  expofe  your- 
felf ? 

Think  again,  how  much  more  pleafure  and 
glory  there  is  in  overcoming  the  violence  of 
your  own  fpirit,  than  in  yielding  to  your  head- 
ftrong  pafiions,  and  fufFering  yourfelves  to  be 
carried  away  with  the  torrent  of  your  own  re- 
fentments.     "  H«  that  rules  his  own  fpirit, 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         I $$ 

««  is  a  greater  hero  than  he  that  conquers 
•£  a  city." 

To  be  angry  about  trifles,  is  mean  and 
childiih  ;  to  rage  and  be  furious  is  brutifh  ; 
and  to  maintain  perpetual  wrath  is  akin  to 
•the  practice  and  temper  of  devils  ;  but  to 
prevent  or  fupprefs  riling  refentment,  is  wile 
and  glorious,  is  manly  and  divine. 

This  one  piece  of  conduct  will  raifc  our 
reputation  for  wifdorn  among  men,  more 
than  a  hundred  fine  fpeeches,  or  fuperiorairs  i 
and  will  greatly  adorn  our  characters  as  per- 
ibns  of  piety.  "  The  wiidom  that  is  from 
i€  above  is  peaceable,  gentle,  and  eafy  to  be 
'*  intreated." 

DOCTRINE    OF    THE    PASSIONS,  ?.    145. 

Think  with  yourfelf  how  many  greater 
crimes  has  the  blefled  God  forgiven  you,  if 
you  are  a  Chriftian  indeed  ;  and  will  you 
not  forgive  your  brother  his  petty  offences  ? 
Has  the  Maker  and  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth  forgiven  you  ten  thoufand  talents,  and 
will  you  not  forgive  your  brother  a  hundred 
pence  ?  Did  the  Son  of  God  make  himfelf 
a  fecrifice  for  your  offences,  that  you  might 
be  pardoned,  and  will  you  make  your  broth- 
er, who  has  offended  you,  a  iacrirlce  to  your 
fury  ? 

er  farther,  that  if  you  do  net 
forgive  your  brother,  who  has  offe.ded  vou, 
O 


158        THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS, 

you  cannot  expert  to  be  forgiven  of  God :  nay, 
it  is  evident,  according  to  the  exprefs  fen- 
tence  of  the  gofpel,  you  cannot  be  forgiven 
without  it.  '*  If  you  forgive  not  men  their 
*'  trefpafTes,  neither  will  your  heavenly  Father 
"  forgive  you."  Do  you  not  pray  for  pardon 
of  your  trefpafTes,  even  as  you  forgive  thofe 
who  trefpafs  againft  you,  and  will  you  fin  a- 
gainft  your  own  prayers  ? 

DOCTRINE   OF    THE    PASSIONS,  P.   I49. 


AGAINST    INDULGING    IMPROPER    CURIOSITY. 

RESTRAIN  your  neediefs  curiofity, 
and  all  felicitous  enquiries  into  things  Which 
were  better  unknown.  How  many  plentiful 
fprings  of  fear,  forrow,  anger,  and  hatred, 
have  been  found  out  and  broken  up  by  this 
laborious  digging  ?  Have  a  care  of  an  over- 
curious  feai  eh  into  fuch  things  as  might  have 
fafely  remained  for  ever  iecret,  and  the  igno- 
rance of  them  had  prevented  many  fooliih 
and  hurtful  pafTions.  A  fond  folicitude  to 
know  all  that  our  friends  or  our  foes  fay  of 
us  is  often  recompenfed  with  vexing  difquie- 
iudcs  and  anguifh  of  foul. 

DOCTRINE    OF    THE    PASSIONS,    P.  l6c. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.       1  $$ 


HABITUAL    REFLECTING     UPON    DEATH     RECOM- 
MENDED. 

LIVE  much  in  the  expectation  ot  death, 
and  in  the  view  and  hope  of  eternal  things. 
Death  and  judgment,  heaven  and  bell,  are 
iuch  grand  and  awful  ideas,  that  where  they 
are  duly  confidered,  they  will  make  the  things 
of  this  life  appear  fo  very  little  and  inconfid- 
erable,  as  to  be  fcarce  worthy  of  our  hopes 
and  fears,  our  deiires  and  averfions,  our 
wrath  and  refentments,  our  forrows  and  joys. 
Such  a  fteady  profpect  and  expectation  of 
things  infinite  and  everlafting,  will,  by  de- 
grees, diffoive  the  force  of  vifible  and  tem- 
poral things,  and  make  them  unable  to  raife 
any  wild  and  unruly  paffions  within  us.  Hap- 
py  the  foul  that  has  a  ftrong  and  lively  faith 
of  unfeen  worlds,  of  future  terrors  and  glo- 
ries :  this  will  cure  the  vicious  diforders  of 
fk(h  and  feme,  appetite  and  paflion  :  this 
will  raife  the  fpirit  of  the  wings  on  devout 
affection,  to  the  borders  of  paradife,  and  at- 
temper the  foul  to  the  bufinefs  and  the  joys 
of  the  blefled. 

DOCTRINE    »F    THE    fASSIONS,    P.    176, 


l6o        THE  BEAUTIES  OP  BR.  WATTS- 


CHILDREN     SHOULD     NOT     BE     ENCOURAGED     IN 
CRUEL    DIVERSIONS. 

NOR  fhould  they  ever  be  allowed  to 
practice  tbofe  diverfions  that  carry  an  idea  of 
barbarity  and  cruelty  in  them,  tho'  it  be  but 
to  brute  creatures.  They  mould  not  fet  up 
cocks  to  be  banged  with  cudgels  thrown  at 
them  about  Shrovetide  ;  nor  delight  in  giv- 
ing a  tedious  lingering  death  to  a  young  lit- 
ter of  dogs  or  cats,  that  may  be  appointed  to 
be  deftroyed  and  drowned,  left  they  multiply 
too  much  in  a  houfe  :  nor  mould  they  take 
pleafure  in  pricking,  cutting  or  mangling 
young  birds  which  they  have  caught,  nor 
ufing  any  lavage  and  bloody  practices  to- 
wards any  creatures  whatfoever ;  left  their 
hearts  grow  hard  and  unrelenting  and  they 
learn  in  time  to  practice  theie  cruelties  on 
their  own  kind,  and  to  murder  and  torture 
their  fellow- mortals  ;  or  at  leaft  to  be  indif- 
ferent to  their  pain  and  diflrefs,  fo  as  to  oc- 
cafion  it  without  remorfe. 

?ujTHVMOVS    V-0RK8,   T.    17 1 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         l6l 


RELIGIOUS    AND    MORAL   REFLECTIONS     ON    TH& 
PRACTICE    OF.  GAMING. 

MANY  young  gentlemen  have  been  there 
bubbled  and  cheated  of  large  fums  ot  mo- 
ney, which  were  given  them  by  their  parents 
to  iupport  them  honourably  in  their  ftations. 
In  fuch  fort  of  fhops  young  ladies  are  temp- 
ted to  fquander  away  too  large  a  fhare  of  their 
yearly  allowance,  if  not  of  the  provifion 
which  their  parents  have  made  for  their  whole 
lives.  It  is  a  fatal  fnare  to  both  fexes  :  if 
they  win  they  are  allured  dill  onward,  while,, 
according  to  their  language,  luck  runs  on 
their  fide  :  if  they  lofe  they  are  tempted  to 
another  and  another  caB.  of  the  die,  and  .en- 
ticed on  (till  to  freib  games  by  a  delufive 
hope,  that  fortune  will,  turn  ;.  and  they  fhall 
recover  all  that  they  have  loft.  In  the  midft 
of  thefe  fcenes  their  pailions  rife  fhamefully,, 
a  greedy  defire  of  gain  maices  them  warm: 
and  eager,  and  new  loffes  plunge  them fome- 
times  into  vexation  and  fury,  till  the  foul  is 
quite  beaten  off  from  its  guard,  and-  virtue 
and  reafon  have  no  manner  of  command  o~ 
ver  them. 

My  worthy  friend  Mr.  Neal,  in  his  Re- 
formation-Sermon,  has   taken   occafion   not 
only   to  inform  us  that   "  merchants  and! 
Q  ,z. 


l6z  THE   BEAUTIKS  OF  DR.   WATTS. 

"  tradefmen  mix  themfelves  at  tbefe  tabic- 
44  with  men  of  defperatc  fortunes,  and  throw 
44  the  dice  for  their  eftates."  But  in  a  very 
decent  and  (oft  manner  of  add  rets,  has  en- 
quired, "  Whether  public  gaming  in  virtu- 
M  ous  ladies  is  not  a  little  out  of  character  ? 
"  Whether  it  does  not  draw  them  into  mix- 
44  ed  company,  and  give  them  an  air  of  bold- 
"  nefs,  which  is  perfectly  inconiiftent  with 
4t  that  niodelty,  which  is  the  ornament  of  the 
44  fair  fex?  Whether  it  does  not  engage  them 
"  in  an  habit  of  idlenefs,  and  of  keeping  ill 
44  hours  ?  Whether  their  paffions  are  not 
14  iometimes  dilbrdered  ?  And  whether  the 
44  lofles  they  fuftain  have  not  a  tendency  to 
44  breed  ill  blood  in  their  families,  and  be- 
44  tween  their  neareft  relations  ?  It  has  been 
4C  often  obierved,  that  gaming  in  a  lady  has 
44  ufually  been  attended  with  the  lofs  of  re- 
44  pucation,  and  iometimes  of  that  which  is 
"  ftill  more  valuable,-her  virtue  and  honour." 
Thus  far  proceed  this  ufeful  Sermon. 

Now  if  thefe  be  the  difmal  and  frequent 
confcquences  of  the  gaming-table,  the  lofs 
of  a  little  money  is  one  of  the  lead  injuries 
vou  iuftain  by  it.  But  what  if  you  mould 
ilill  come  off  gainers  ?  Is  this  the  way  that 
God  has  taught  or  allowed  us  to  procure  the 
neceflary  comforts  of  life  ?  Is  this  a  fort  of 
labour  or  traffic  on  which  you  can  afk  the 
blerling  of  heaven?  Can  you  lift  up  your 
fece  to  God*  and  pray  that  he  would  fucceed 


THE  BEAUTIES   OF  DR.   WATTS.        163 

the  caft  of  the  die,  the  drawing  of  the  lot, 
or  the  dealing  out  of  the  cards,  fo  as  to  en- 
creafe  your  gain,  while  it  is  the  very  fenfe 
and  language  of  the  prayer,  that  your  neigh- 
hour  may  fuftain  fo  much  lofs  ?  This  is  a 
fad  and  guilty  circumflance  which  belongs 
to  gaming,  that  one  can  gain  nothing  but 
what  another  lofes  ;  and  confequently  we 
cannot  afk  a  bleffing  upon  ourfelves,  but  at 
the  fame  time  we  pray  lor  a  blaft  upon  our 
neighbour. 

Will  you  hope  to  excufe  it  by  faying,  that 
my  neighbour  contents  to  this  blaft  or  this 
lofs  by  entering  into  the  game,  and  there  is 
no  injury  where  there  is  confent  ? 

I  anfwer,  that  though  he  confents  to  lofe 
conditionally  and  upon  a  venturous  hope  of 
gain,  yet  he  is  not  willing  to  fuftain  the  lofs 
abfolutely  -y  but  when  either  chance,  or  his 
neighbour's  fkill  in  the  game  has  determined 
againft  him,  then  he  is  conftrained  to  lofe, 
and  does  it  unwillingly  ;  fo  that  he  (till  fuf- 
tains  it  as  a  lofs,  or  misfortune,  or  evil. 
Now,  if  you  afk  a  bleffing  from  heaven  on 
this  way  of  your  getting  money,  you  afk  ra- 
ther abfolutely  that  your  neighbour  may 
fuftain  a  lofs,  without  any  regard  to  the  con- 
dition of  his  hope  of  gain.  Your  wifh  and 
prayer  is  directly  that  you  may  get,  and  he 
may  lofe:  you  cannot  wifh  this  good  to 
yourfelf  but  you  wifh  the  contrary  evil  to 
him  :  and  therefore  I  think  gaming  for  gain 


164  THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

cannot  be  confident  with  the  laws  of  Cbrift, 
which  certainly  forbid  us  to  wifh  evil  to  our 
neighbour. 

And  it  you  cannot  fa  much  as  in  thought 
afk  God's  blefTing  on  this,  as  you  certainly 
may  on  fuch  recreations  as  have  an  evident 
tendency  innocently  to -exercife  the  body  and 
relax  the  mind,  it  feems  your  conicience  fe- 
cretiy  condemns  it,  and  there  is  an  additional 
proof  of  its  being  evil  to  you. 

All  the  julleft  writers  of  morality,  and  the 
beft  cafuits,  have  generally,  if  not  univerfal- 
ly,  determined  againfl  thefe  methods  of  gain. 
Whatioever  game  may  be  indulged  as  lawful,. 
it  is  (till  as  a  recreation,  and  not  as  a  caliing- 
or  bufineis  of  life  :  and  therefore  no  larger, 
fums  ought  to  be  rifqu.fd  or  ventured  in  this 
manner,  than  what  may  be  lawfully  laid  out; 
by  any  perfons  for  their  prefent  recreation,, 
according  to  their  different  circumftances  in 
the  world. 

Befides  all  this,  think  of  the  lofs  of  time, 
and  the  wafte  of  life  that  is  continually  made 
by  lome  who  frequent  thefe  gaming-places. 
Think  how  it  calls  away  many  a  youth  from 
their  proper  bufinefs,  and  tempts  them  to> 
throw  away  what  is  not  their  own,  and  to> 
rifque  the  fubftance,  as  well  as  the  difplea- 
fure  of  their  parents,  or  of  their  matter,  at 
all  the  uncertain  hazards  of  a  dice-box. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,    T.    I90. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  OR.  WATTS,  165 


ON   PUBLIC    DANCING    ASSEMBLIES 

IT    is  acknowledged   to  be   proper   and 
needful  that  young  people  mould  be  indulg- 
ed in   ibme  recreations,  agreeable  to   their 
age,  and  fui table  to  the  condition  in  which 
providence  has  placed  them.     But  I  would 
afk  whether  the  great  and  onty  valuable  end 
of  recreation  is   to  be  expected  from   thefe 
midnight-afiemblies,  namely,  "  to  relieve  us 
"  from  the  fatigues  of  life,  and  to  exhilarate 
"  the  fpirits,  fo  as  thereby  to  fit  us  for  the 
"  duties  of  life  and    religion  ?"    Now  are 
thefe  the  proper  means  to  fit  us  for  the  du- 
ties of  either  kind  ?  Perhaps  it  will  be-faid 
that  dancing,  which  is  pracYifed  in  thofe  af- 
iemblies,  is  an  exercife  conducive  to  health, 
and  therefore  a  means  of  fitting  us  for  the 
duties  of  life.      But  may  not  the  unfeafona- 
blenefs  of   the  midnight-hour  prevent  and 
over-balance  the   benefit,  that  might  other- 
wife  be  fuppofed  to  arife  from  the  exercife  ? 
Is  it  likely  that  natural  health  mould  be  pro- 
moted, or  preferved,   by  changing  the  fea- 
fons  and  order  of  nature,  and  by  allotting 
thofe  hours  to  exercife,  which  God  and  na- 
ture have  ordained  to  reft  ?  Is  the  returning 
home  after  five  or  fix  hours  dancing,  through 
the  cold   and  clamp  of  the  midnight-air,  a. 


l£6  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  W.4TTS. 

proper  means  of  preferving  health  ?  or  ra~ 
ther,  is  it  not  more  likely  to  impair  and  de- 
ftroy  it  ?  Have  not  thefe  fatal  effects  been 
to®  often  felt  ?  Have  they  not  been  facrifi- 
ces  of  human  life  offered  to  this  midnight 
idol  ?  Have  there  been  no  fair  young  mar- 
tyrs to  this  unfeafonable  folly  ?  Are  there  not 
fome  of  its  flaves  who  are  become  feeble, 
labouring  under  fore  difeales,  and  fome  of 
them  fallen  afleep  in  death  ?  Have  not  their 
mufic  and  their 'dancing,  inftead  of  natural 
reft  in  their  beds,  brought  them  down  to  a 
long  filence  in  the  grave,  and  an  untimely 
reft  in  a  bed  of  duft  ?  Thofe  amiable  pie- 
ces of  human  nature,  who  were  lately  the 
joy  and  hope  of  their  too  indulgent  parents, 
are  now  the  b'tternefs  of  their  hearts  ;  and 
thofe  very  exercifes  from  whence  they  hoped 
the  continuance  of  their  joy,  as  the  fup- 
pofed  means  of  confirming  their  children's 
health,  arc  become  an  everlafting  ipring  of 
their  mourning.     \ 

And  as  thofe  midnight  recreations  are  bad- 
ly fuited  to  fit  us  for  the  duties  of  the  civil 
life,  fo  they  are  worfe  fuited  to  fit  us  for,  or 
rather,  they  are  more  apparently  oppofite  to, 
the  duties  of  religion.  The  religion  of  the 
clofet  is  neglecled,  the  beautiful  regularity 
and  order  of  the  family  is  broken  ;  and  when 
t'ie  night  has  been  turned  into  day,  a  good 
part  of  the  next  day  is  turned  into  night, 
while  the  duties  of  the  morning,   both   to. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  l6j 

God  and  man,  are  unperformed.  Thofe  who 
have   frequented  thefe  afTemblies   know  all 
this,  and  are  my  witnefles  to  the  truth  of  it. 
Nay  the  very  practice  itfelf,  at  thofe  unfea- 
fonable  hours,  tells  all  the  world  how  much 
-they   prefer  thefe  dangerous  amufements  to 
the  worfhip  of  God   in  the  evening  and  in 
the  morning,  and  to  all  the  conveniencies  and 
decorum  of  family  government.     Befides,  if 
I  fpeak  to  Chriftians,  have  you  not  found 
that  the  indulgence  to  this  fort  of  diveriions, 
which  are  ufually  practifed  in  thofe  unieafon- 
abSe  aflemblies,  leads  the  mind  away  infenfi- 
bly  from  God  and  religion,  gives  a  vanity  to 
the   (pirit,  and  greatly   abates  the  fpiritual 
and  heavenly  temper  which  fhould  belong  to 
Chriftians  ?  Hath  it  not  taken  away  the  fa- 
vour of  godlinefs  and  tincture  of  piety  from 
fome  younger  minds  ?  And  do  elder  Chrifti- 
ans never  furTer  by  it  ?  Let  it  be  further  con- 
fidered,  what  fort  of  company  you   mingle 
with  in  thole  midnight  aifemblies.  Are  they 
mod  frequented  by  the  wife  and  pious,  or  by 
the  more  vain  and  vicious  part  of  mankind  ? 
Do  they  tend  to  fill  your  mind  with  the  moft 
improving  notions,  and  your  ears   and  your 
lips  with  the  moft  proper  converfation  ?  Do 
you  that  frequent  them  never  find  your  pie- 
ty in  danger  there  ?  Does  ftrict  religion  and 
prayer   relifh   fo  well  with  you  after   thole 
gawdy  nights  of  mirth  and  folly  ?  And   do 
you  then,  when  you  join  in  thofe  allemblies, 


l68  THI  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

practife  the  commands  of  God,  to  abftain 
from  all  appearance  of  evil,  and  to  fhun  the 
paths  of  temptation  ?  Can  you  pray  for  a 
blefiing  on  your  attendance  on  thtfe  midnight 
meetings  ?  Or  can  you  hope  to  run  into  the 
mid  ft  of  thofe  fparks  and  living  coals  and 
yet  not  be  burned,  nor  fo  much  as  have  your 
garments  figned  ?  Are  not  parents  yery  gen- 
erally ienfible  that  there  are  dangerous  mares 
to  youth  in  thofe  gay  diverfions  ?  and  there- 
fore the  mother  will  herfelf  go  along  with  her 
young  offspring  to  take  care  ot  them,  and 
to  watch  over  them  ;  and  perhaps  there  is 
fcarcely  any  place  or  time  which  more  wants 
the  watchful  eye  of  a  fuperior.  But  here  let 
me  aik,  is  this  all  the  reafon  why  the  mother 
attends  thofe  fcenes  of  vanity  ?  Has  fhe  no 
reiifh  for  them  herfelf?  Has  fhe  no  gay  hu- 
mours of  her  own  to  be  gratified,  which  lhe 
difguiies  and  covers  with  the  pretence  of  a 
parental  folicitude  for  the  virtue  and  honour 
of  her  offspring  ?  are  there  no  mothers  who 
freely  lead  their  children  into  thofe  perilous 
places,  where  foul  and  body  are  in  danger, 
and  are  really,  their  tempters,  under  a  colour 
of  being  their  guardians  ? 

You  will  plead,  perhaps,  that  fome  of  thefe 
things  are  proper  for  the  improvement  of 
young  people  in  good  breeding  and  politenefs. 
They  mud  be  brought  into  company,  to 
fee  the  wcrld,  and  to  learn  how  to  behave 
with  becoming  decency.  Well,  fuppofe  thele 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  I  69 

atiemblies  to  be  academies  of  politenefs,  and 
that  young  people  attend  there  upon  lec- 
tures of  good  breeding,  Is  there  no  other 
time  fo  fit  as  midnight,  to  polifh  the  youth 
of  both  (exes,  and  to  breed  them  well  ?  May 
not  an  hour  or  two  be  appointed  at  more 
proper  fcafons,  by  felecl:  companies,  for  mu- 
tual con  variation,  and  innocent  delight  ? 
Can  there  be  no  genteel  recreations  enjoyed, 
no  leffbns  of  behaviour  taught  by  day  light  ? 
Can  no  method  of  improvement  in  good 
breeding  be  contrived  and  appointed  which 
mall  be  more  fecure  from  temptations  and 
inconveniencies  ?  Are  there  none  wlvch  are 
more  harmlels,  more  innocent,  of  better  re- 
putation among  perfons  of  flrict  piety,  and 
which  make  lefs  inroad  on  the  duties  of  life, 
both  folitary  and   fo'cial,  civil  and  religious. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,  P.     I94. 

Tt  is  the  duty  of  parents  who  would  give 
their  children  a  good  education,  to  fee  to  it 
that  children,  in  their  younger  years,  do  not 
indulge  iuch'  recreations  as  may  fpoil  all  the 
good  effects  of  the  pious  inftrudr,ions,  the 
prayers,- and  cares  of  their  parents.  Other- 
wile,  if  you  encourage  them  in  fuch  recrea- 
tions, you  are  building  up  thofe  vanities  of 
mind,  and  thofe  vicious  inclinations  with  one 
hand  which  you  labour  to  prevent  or  deftroy 
with  the  other.  rofT«w«  wowi,  ?  m 

P 


iyo         TR~E    EEAVTIES  OF  DK.  WaTTS. 


OF    SECRET    AND    SOCIAL    PRAYER. 

WHILE  I  am  difcouragi  Chrif- 

tians  from  that  affectation  or'  long  prayer, 
which  arffes  from  an  oftentat-ion  of  their 
parts,  from  a  luperflitious  hope  of  pleafing 
God  better  by  laying  many  words,  cr  from 
a  trifling  frame  of  fpirit  j  I  would  not  have 
my  readers  imagine  that  the  fhorteft  prayers 
are  always  the  belt.  Our  finful  natures  are 
too  ready  to  put  off  God  in  fecret  or  in  the 
family,  with  a  few  minutes  of  worfhip,  from 
.mere  iloth  and  wearinefs  of  holy  things ; 
which  is  equally  to  be  blamed  :  for  hereby 
we  omit  a  great  part  of  the  neceflary  work 
of  prayer  in  confeflions,  petitions,  pleadings 
for  mercy,  or  thankfgivings.  Nor  do  I  think 
that  prayer  in  public  ailemblies  fhould  be 
ihort,  as  though  the  only  defign  of  it  were  a 
mere  preface  before  the  fermon,  or  a  bene- 
diction after  it.  Whereas  focial  prayer  h 
•one  confiderable  part  (if  not  the  chief  duty)] 
;of  public  worfhip  ;  and  we  ought  generally 
to  continue  io  long  in  it,  as  to  run  through 
the  mod  neceflary  and  important  purpoles 
of  a  focial  addrefs  to  the  throne  of  Grace. 
Chriftian  prudence  will  teach  us  to  determine 
the  length  of  our  prayers  agreeablyio  the  oc- 
cafion  and  prefent  circumftances,  and  accord-: 
ing  to  the  meafure  of  our  own  ability  for  .this 

W'TK.  cu:i  to  PXATtftj  r.  Si 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF   DR.  WATTS.  171 


©F  THE  TONE  OF  THE  VOICE  IS   PRAYER. 

THOUGH  the  beauty  of  our  expref- 
iions,  and  the  tuneablenefs  of  our  voice,  can 
never  render  ourworiliip  more  acceptable  to 
G  > J,  the  infinite  Spirit  •,  yet  our  natures  being 
compofed  offlelh  and  ipirit,may  be  ailiiled  in 
worfhip  by  the  harmony  of  the  voice  of  him* 
that  (peaks.  Should  the  matter,  method,  and 
exprefiions,  be  never  fo  well  chofen  in  prayer 
yet  it  is  impofiible  for  the  voice  to  fpoii 
the  pleafure,  and  injure  the  devotion  of  our 
felhw-worfliippers.  When  fpeeches  of  the 
bed  compoiure  and  warmed  language,  are 
recited  in  a  coidy  harfh,  or  ungrateful  way, 
the  beauty  ot  them  is  almoft  loft. 

Some  perions,  by  nature,  have  a  very  fvveet 
and  tun  etui  voice,  that  whatfoever  they  (peak 
appears  pleating.  Others  mud  take  much 
more  pains,  and  attend  with  diligence  to 
rules  and  directions,  that  their  voice  may  be 
formed  to  an  agreeable  pronunciation  :  for 
we  find  by  lad  experience,  that  all  the  ad- 
vantages that  nature  can  obtain  or  apply  to 
aiiilt  our  devotions,  are  all  little  enough  to 
keep  our  hearts  from  wandering,  and  to 
maintain  delight  :  at  leaf]  it  is  a  necetfary 
duty  to  know  and  avoid  thole    disagreeable 


IJ2         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

ways  of  pronunciation,  that   may  rather  dif- 
guft  than  edify  fuch  as  may  join  with  us. 

I  confels,  in  iecret  prayer  there  is  no  ne- 
ceifxty  of  a  voice,  for  God  hears  a  whifper  as 
well  as  a  figh  and  a  groan.  Yet  iome  Chrif- 
tians  cannot  pray  with  any  advantage  to 
themfelves  without  the  ufe  of  a  voice  in 
lbme  degree  ;  nor  can  I  judge  it  at  all  im- 
proper, but  rather  preferable,  fo  that  you 
have  a  convenient  place  for  fecrecy  :  for 
hereby  you  will  not  only  excite  your  own  af- 
fections the  more,  but  by  practice  in  fecret, 
if  you  take  due  care  of  your  voice  there, 
you  may  learn  alio  to  fpeak  in  public  the 
better. 

The  great  and  general  rule  I  would  lay 
down  for  managing  the  voice  in  prayer  is 
this :  "  Let  us  ufe  the  lame  voice  with 
"  which  we  ufually  fpeak  in  grave  and  le- 
"  rious  converfation,  efpecially  upon  pathe- 
11  tica)  and  affecting  iubjects."  This  is  the 
bed  direction  that  I  know,  to  regulate  the 
found  as  well  as  the  words.  Our  own  na- 
tive and  common  voice  appears  mod  natu- 
ral, and  may  be  managed  with  the  greateft 
eale.  And  iome  perfons  have  taken  occafion 
to  ridicule  our  worihip,  and  to  cenfure  us  as 
hvpocrites,  when  we  tondly  leek  any  new  and 
different  iort  of  founds  or  voices  in  our 
prayers. 

CVII»E     TO    PRAYER,   P.     Ic£ 


THE   BEAUTIES   OF   DR.   WATTS.  T  73 


THAT  IT    IS  SINFUL    TO    COMPLAIN    OF    THE    DIS- 
PENSATIONS   OF    PROVIDENCE. 

AN  African  has  no  right  to  complain,  that 
he  was  not  born  a  Briton ;  nor  a  porter  that  he 
was  not  born  a  prince  3  nor  Saphronius  and 
I,  that  we  were  not  made  prophets  and  apof- 
tjes.  If  God  has  furnifhed  all  men  with  inch 
natural  pollers,  as  being  improved  in  the  bed 
manner,  would  lead  them  to  virtue,  religion, 
and  happinefs,  furely  his  creatures  may  give 
-him  leave  to  make  io  much  diftinction  be- 
tween them,  as  to  fet  fome  of  them  in  a 
plainer  and  eafier  road  to  happineis  than  he 
has  others  :  and  it  is  ihameful  ingratitude 
for  us,  in  chriltian  countries,  to  complain  of 
our  bountiful  Creator,  who  has  afforded  us 
inch  peculiar  favours,  and  made  our  way  to 
heaven  plained  of  all. 

STRENGTH    AND    WEAKNESS    OF    HUM.   REASON,  .»     210. 


CHARITABLE  JUDGMENT  OF  OUR  FELLOW- 
CREATURES    RECOMMENDED; 

LET  us  take  a  furvey  of  the  world,  and 
fee  what  a  mixture  there  is  of  amiable  and 
P  i 


174  THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.   WAT  la. 

hateful  qualities  among  the  children  of  men. 
There  is  beauty  and  comelineis  ;  there  is 
vigour  and  vivacity  ;  there  is  good  humour 
and  compaflion  ;  there  is  wit,  and  judgment, 
and  induftry,  even  among  thofe  that  are  pro- 
fligate and  abandoned  to  many  vices.  There 
is  (obriety,  and  Icve,  and  honefty,  and  jnftice, 
and  decency  amongft  men  that  M  know  not 
**  God,  and  believe  not  the  goipel  of  our 
"  Lord  Jefus."  There  are  very  few  of  the 
ions  and  daughters  of  Adam,  but  are  poflei- 
fed  of  fomething  good  and  agreeable,  either 
by  nature  or  acquirement  ;  therefore  when 
there  is  a  necefTary  occafion  to  mention  the 
vices  of  any  man,  I  fhould  not  fpeak  evil  of 
him  in  the  grots,  nor  heap  reproaches  on  him 
by  wholefale.  It  is  very  difingenuous  to  talk 
fcandal  in  fupenatives,  as  though  every  man 
who  was  a  (inner,  was  a  perfect  villain,  the 
very  worft  of  men,  all  over  hateful  and  abo- 
minable. 

How  fharply  fhould  our  own  thoughts  re- 
prove us,  when  we  give  our  pride  and  malice 
a  loofe  to  ravage  over  all  the  characters  of 
our  neighbours,  and  deny  all  that  is  good 
concerning  them,  becaufe  they  have  fome- 
thing in  them  that  is  criminal  and  worthy  of 
blame!  Thus  our  judgment  is  abufed  by  our 
paflions  ;  and  fometimes  this  folly  reigns  in 
us  to  fuch  a  degTee,  that  we  can  hardly  allow 
a  man  to  be  wile  or  ingenuous,  to  have  a 
grain  of  good  fenfe,  or  good  humour,  that  is 


THE  BEACTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         17^ 

not  of  our  profefiion,  or  our  party,  in  mat- 
ters or  church  or  (late.  Let  us  look  back 
upon  our  conduct,  and  blufh  to  think  that 
we  fliould  indulge  iuch  prejudices,  fuch  fin- 
ful  partiality. 

SERMONS,    VOL.    lr  P.   141. 

I  will  not  therefore  fay  within  myfelf  con- 
cerning any  man,  "  I  hate  him  utterly,  and 
"  abhor  him  in  all  refpects,  becaufe  lie  has 
"  not  true  hoJinefs."  But  [  will  look  upon 
him,  and  coniider  whether  there  may  not  be 
fome  accompli fhment  in  him,  fome  moral 
virtue,  fome  valuable  talent,  fome  natural  or 
acquired  excellency  ;  and  I  will  not  neglect 
to  pay  due  efleem  to  every  deierving  quality, 
wherefoever  I  find  it.  It  is  a  piece  of  ho- 
nour due  to  God  our  Creator,  to  obferve  the 
various  hgnatures  of  his  wifdom  that  he  has 
imprelTed  upon  his  creatures,  and  the  over- 
flowing treafures  of  his  goodnefs,  which  he 
has  didributed  among  the  works  of  his 
hands. 

Thus  I  may  very  juflly  love  a  man,  for 
whom,  in  the  vulgar  fenfe,  I  have  no  chanty, 
that  is,  luch  a  one  as  I  believe  to  be  in  a 
ftate  of  fin  and  death,  and  have  no  prefent 
hope  of  his  falvation.  How  could  holy  pa- 
rents fulfil  their  duties  of  afTeelion  to  their 
wicked  children  ?  Or  pious  children  pay  due 
refpect  to  finful  parents  ?  How  could  a  be- 
liever fulfil  the  law  of  love  to  an  unbelieving 


176         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

brother,  or  a  dearer  relative,  if"  we  ought  to 
admit  of  no  Jove  to  perfons  that  are  in  a 
date  of  enmity  to  God  ? 


vor..   t,   p.    145. 


ANCIENT    AND     MODERN     EDU- 
CATION    CONTRASTED. 

SO  weak  and  unhappy  is  human  nature, 
that  it  is  ever  ready  to  run  into  extremes  ; 
and  when  we  would  recover  onrfelves  from 
an  excefs  on  the  right  hand,  we  know  not 
where  to  (top  till  we  are  got  to  an  excels  on 
the  left.  Inftances  of  this  kind  are  innume- 
rable in  all  the  affairs  of  human  life  ;  but  it 
is  hardly  more  remarkable  in  any  thing,  than 
in  the  flrict.  and  fevere  education  of  our  fa- 
thers a  century  ago,  and  in  the  moft  profufe 
and  unlimited  liberty  that  is  indulged  to 
children  in  our  age- 
In  thofe  days  the  fons  were  bred  up  to 
learning  by  terrible  difcipline  r  every  Greek 
and.Latin  author  they  converted  with,  was 
attended  with  one,  or  many  new  fcourges, 
to  drive  them  into  acquaintance  with  him  ; 
and  not  the  lead  mifdemeanor  in  life  could 
efrape  the  lafli  :  as  though, the  father  would 
prove  his  daily  c<  love  to  his  fori"' by  never 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  I  7/ 

"  fparing  his  rod,"  Prov.  xiii.  24.  Nowa- 
days young  mailer  muft  be  treated  with  a 
foolifh  fondleis,  till  he  is  grown  to  the  fize  of 
man  ;  and  let  his  faults  be  never  fo  heinous, 
and  his  obftinacy  never  fo  great,  yet  the  pre- 
ceptor muft  not  let  him  hear  the  name  of 
the  rod,  left  the  child  mould  be  frighted  or 
hurt  -9  the  advice  pt  the  wifeft  of  men  is  ut- 
terly forgotten,  when  he  tells  us,  that  due 
"  correction  (hall  drive  out  the  tolly  that  is 
"  bound  up  in  the  heart  of  a  child,"  Prov. 
xxii.  15.  Orelfe  they  boldly  reverfe  his 
divine  counfel,  Prov.  xiii.  24.  as  though  they 
would  make  the  rule  ot  their  practice  a  di- 
rect contradiction  to  the  words  of  Solomon, 
namely,  that  "  he  that  fpareth  the  rod  loveth 
u  his  fbn,  but  he  that  hateth  him,  chaftens 
"  him  betimes." 

In  that  day  many  children  were  kept  in  a 
mod  fervile  fubjecYion,  and  not  fuftered  to 
fit  down,  or  to  fpeak  in  the  prcfence  of  their 
father,  till  they  were  come  to  the  age  of  one 
and  twenty.  The  leaft  degree  of  freedom 
was  efteemed  a  bold  prefumption,  and  incur- 
red a  fharp  reproof.  Now  they  are  made 
familiar  companions  to  their  parents,  almoft 
from  the  very  nurfery  ;  and  therefore  they 
will  hardly  bear  a  check  or  rebuke  at  their 
hand. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  laft  century,  and 
fo  onward  to  the  middle  of  it,  the  children 
were  ulually  obliged  to  believe  what  their 


178  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

parents  and  mailers  taught  them,  whether 
they  were  principles  or  fcience,  or  articles  of 
faith  and  practice  j  they  were  tied  down  to  al- 
moft  every  punctilio,  as  though  it  were  necef- 
iary  to  ialvation  ;  they  were  not  fufFered  to 
examine  or  enquire  whether  their  teachers 
were  in  the  right,  and  fcarce  knew  upon  what 
grounds  they  were  to  alien  t  to  the  things 
that  were  taught  them  ;  for  it  was  a  maxim 
of  all  teachers,  that  the  learner  mud  believe  : 
Bifcenlm  opertc  eredere.  Then  an  ipje  dixit, 
or  Ariftotle  laid  fo,  was  a  fuilicient  proof  of 
any  proportion  in  the  colleges  ;  and  for  a 
man  of  five  and  twenty  to  be  a  Chriftian  and 
a  proteftanr,  a  dllTenter  or  a  church-man,  it 
was  aimed  reafon  enough  to  fay  his  father 
was  (b.  But  in  this  century,  when  the  doc- 
trine of  a  juft  and  rcafonable  liberty  is  bet- 
ter known,  too  many  of  the  prefent  youth 
break  all  the  bonds  of  nature  and  duty,  and 
to  the  wildeft  degrees  of  Joofends,  both  in 
belief  and  practice.  They  flight  the  religion 
which  their  parents  have  taught  them,  that 
they  may  appear  to  have  chofen  a  religion 
for  themfelves  :  and  when  they  have  made  a 
creed  or  belief  of  their  own,  or  rather  bor- 
rowed fome  fcraps  of  infidelity  from  their 
vain  companions  and  equals,  they  rind  pre- 
tences enough  to  call  off  all  "other  creeds  at 
once,  as  well  as  the  counfels  and  cuftoms  of 
their  religious  predeceflbrs. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         I  79 

"  The  practices  .of  our  fathers  (fay  th?y) 
*c  were  preciie  and  fodlilh,  and  fhall  be  no 
"  rule  for  our  conduct  ;  the  articles  of  their 
y  faith  were  abiurd  and  myfterious,  but  we 
"  will  believe  nothing  of  myftery,  left  our 
tc  faith  mould  be  as  ridiculous  as  theirs/'  In 
their  young  years,  and  before  their  reafon  is 
half  grown,  they  pretend  to  examine  the  iub- 
blimeft  doctrines  of  Chriftianity  ;  and  a  raw 
and  half-witted  boy  fhall  commence  an  in- 
fidel, becaufe  he  cannot  comprehend  lome 
of  the  glorious  truths  of  the  gofpel,  and 
laughs  at  his  elders  and  anceftors,  for  believ- 
ing what  they  could  not  comprehend. 

The  child  now-a-day  forgets  that   his  pa- 
rent is  obliged  by  all  the  laws  of  God  and 
nature,  to  train  him  up  in  his  own  religion, 
till  he  is  come  to   the  proper  age   of  difcre- 
tion  to  judge  for  himfelf;  he  forgets  or  he 
will  not  know,   that  the  parent  is  intruded 
-with  the  care  of  the  fouls  of  his  young  off- 
ipring  by  the  very  laws  of  nature,  as  well  as 
by  the  revealed  covenants  of  innocency  and 
of  grace.     The  fbn  now-a-days   forgets   the 
obligations  he  is  under  to.  honour  and  obev 
the  perfons  that  gave  him  birth  -y  he  pays  no 
regard  to  the  doctrines  which  led  on  his  an- 
ceftors to  the  love  of  God  and  man ;  whereas 
doctrines  that  have.fuch   influence,  claim  at 
leaft  iome  degrees  of  attention,  and  ipecially 
from  a  ion  who  has  been  trained  up  in  them, 
and  beheld  the  effect  of  them  in  the  piety  of 


iSo  THE  BEAUTIES  OF    DR.  WATTS. 

his  parents  ;  nor  will  the  very  light  of  na- 
ture furTer  him  to  depart  from  them,  but  up- 
on the  cleared  judgment  of  his  own  mature 
reafon,  a  thorough  and  impartial  fearch  into 
the  fubje&,  the  loud  inward  dictates  of  his 
confcience,  and  the  full  evidence  of  his  pa- 
rents miftake. 

So  wanton  and  licentious  a  fpirit  has  pof- 
lefled  fome  of  the  youth  of  the  nation,  that 
they  never  think  they  have  freed  themfelves 
from  the  prejudices  of  their  education,  till 
they  have  thrown  off  alrnoft  all  the  yokes  of 
reftraint   that  are  laid  upon  them  by  God  or 
man.      Some  take  a  petulent  pride  in  laying 
afide  the  holy  fcriptures,  for  the  fame  reafon 
that  Timothy  was  adviled   to  u  continue  in 
"  them,'*  and  that  is,  becaule  "they  have 
ct  learned  and  known  them  from  their  verv 
•'childhood,"    2  Tim.  iii.  i  ;.      And  fome, 
perhaps,  have    been    laughed  out  of  their 
Chridianity,  left  it  (hould  be  faid,  their  mo- 
thers and  their  nuries  had  made  them  Chrii- 
tians. 

Heretofore  the  fons  were  fcarce  fuffered  to 
be  abfent  from  home  an  hour,  without  ex- 
prefs  leave,  till  they  were  arrived  at  the  age 
of  man,  nor  daughters  till  they  were  married; 
nov^both  lexes  take  an  unbounded  licence 
of  roving  where  they  pleafe,  and  from  a  do- 
zen years  oid,  they  forget  to  afk  leave  to 
wander  or  to  vifit  where  their  fancies  lead 
them  i  at  firft  the  parent  gives  a  loofe  and 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.       1  S  I 

winks  at  it,  and  then  the  child  claims  it  as 
'his  due  for  ever. 

In  fhort,  thelaft  age  taught  mankind  to 
believe  that  they  were  mere  children,  and 
treated  them  as  fuch,  till  they  were  near  thirty 
years  old  ;  but  the  prefent  gives  them  leave  to 
fancy  themfelves  complete  men  and  women 
at  twelve  and  fifteen  ;  and  they  accordingly 
judge  and  manage  for  themfelves  entirely, 
and  too  often  defpife  all  advice  of  their 
elders. 

Now  though  it  be  fufnciently  evident  that 
both  thefe  are  extremes  of  liberty  or  reftraint, 
yet  if  we  judge  by  the  reafon  of  things,  or 
by  experience  and  luccefs,  furely  the  ancient 
education  is  to  be  preferred  before  the  prefent, 
and  of  the  two  mould  rather  be  chofen. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,   P.    200. 


EXTREMES    OF  LIBERTY  AND    RESTRAINT    TO 

BE    AVOIDED    IN    THE    EDUCATION 

OF     YOUTH. 

BUT  after  all,  is  there  no  medium  be- 
tween thele  two  extremes,,  excefs  of  con- 
finement, and  excefs  of  liberty  ?  May  not 
young  understandings  be  allowed  to  moot 
and  Ipread  themfelves  a  little,  without  grow- 


VZ%  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

ing  rank  and  rampant  ?  May  not  children 
be  kept  in  due  and  gentle  fubjection  to  their 
parents,  without  putting  yokes  of  bondage 
upon  them  ?  Is  there  no  reaionable  re  drain  t 
pi  the  wild  opinions,  and  violent  inclinations 
of  youth,  without  making  chains  for  theun- 
derftanding,  and  throwing  fet:ers  on  the  foul  ? 
May  not  the  young  gentleman  begin  to  act 
like  a  man,  without  forgetting  that  he  h  a 
jfon  ?  and  maintain  the  full  liberty  of  his 
own  judgment  without  infolence  and  con- 
tempt of  the  opinions  of  his  elders  ?  May 
not  he  who  is  bred  up  a  proteflant  and  a 
Chriftian  judge  freely  for  himfelf  without  the 
prejudices  of  his  education,  and  yet  continue 
a  Chriftian  and  a  Proteflant  dill  ?  Is  it  not 
poflible  for  the  parent  to  indulge,  and  the 
child  to  enjoy  a  juft  liberty,  and  yet  neither 
encourage  nor  praclife  a  wild  licentioumefs  ? 
Yes  iurely  ;  and  there  have  been  happy 
inftances  in  the  laft  age,  and  there  are  fome 
in  this,  both  of  parents  and  children,  that 
have  learned  to  tread  this  middle  path,  and 
found  wifclom  and  virtue  init,pietyandpeace. 
Agathus  has  bred  his  fon  up  under  fuch  dif- 
cipline,  as  renders  them  both  proper  exam- 
ples to  the  world. 

?0?T  HUMOUS    WORKS,    P.    2o6. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  I  S3' 


THE     END     OF     TIME. 

REV.  x.  5,  6.  "  And  the  angel  which  I 
"  (aw  ftand  upon  the  Tea,  and  upon  the  earth, 
"  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven,  and  fvvare 
"  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  that 
"  there  (hall  be  time  no  longer."  This  is 
the  oath  and  folemn  fentence  of  a  mighty 
angel  who  came. down  from  heaven,  and  by 
the  deicription  of  him  in  the  firft  verfe,  he 
ieems  to  be  the  t;  Angel  of  God's  prefence,- 
cc  in  whom  is  the  name  of  God,"  even  our 
Lord  Jefus  Chrir!  himfelf,  who  pronounced 
and  fware  that  Ci  Time  mould  be  no  long* 
"  er  ;"  for  all  feafons  and  times  are  now  put 
into  his  hand,  together  with  the  book  of  his 
Father's  decrees,  Rev.  v.  7,  9.  What  fpe- 
cial  age  or  period  of  time  in  this  world  the 
prophecy  refers  to,  may  not  be  fo  eafy  to  deter- 
mine ;  but  this  is  certain,  that  it  may  be  hap- 
pily applied  to  the  period  of  every  man's 
life  j  for  whenfoever  the  term  of  our  conti- 
nuance in  this  world  is  finimed,  "  our  time" 
in  the  prefent  circumflances  and  fcenesthat  at- 
tend it  "  fhall  be  no  more  :"  we  mail  be  fwept 
off  the  ftage  of  this  vifible  ftate  into  an  unfeen 
and  eternal  world  :  eternity  comes  upon  us  at 
once,  and  all  that  we  enjoy,  all  that  we  do, 
and  all  that  we  fuffer  in  "  time,  (hall  be  no 
fl  more/' 

WORLB    TO    COME,    P.    IoS> 


184         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

The  moment  is  haftening  upon  us  when 
this  mighty  angel  who  manages  the  affairs  of 
the  kingdom  of  providence,  fhall  fwear 
concerning  every  unbelieving  and  impenitent 
/inner,  that  the  «  time  of  offered  mercy  fhall 
"  be  no  longer,  the  time  of  pardon  and 
"  grace  and  reconciliation  fhall  be  no  more  :" 
the  found  of  this  mercy  reaches  not  the  re- 
gions of  the  dead  ;  thofe  who  die  before  they 
are  reconciled,  they  die  under  the  load  of  all 
their  fins,  and  mull,  periih  for  ever,  without 
tdc  lead  hope  or  glimpfe  of  reconciling  or 
forgiving  grace.  W0RlD  T0  C0ME>  P.  lia. 


THE    INESTIMABLE    VALUE    OF    TIME. 

EVERY  hour  you  live  is  an  hour  given 
you  to  prepare  for  dying,  and  to  five  a  foul. 
If  you^were  but  apprized  of  the  worth  of  your 
own  foul?,  yen  would  better  know  the  worth 
of  days  and  hours,  and  of  every  puffing  mo- 
ment, for  they  are  given  to  fecure  your 
immortal  intereft,  and  fave  a  foul  from 
everlafUng  mi  ferry.  And  you  would  be  zea-~ 
lous  and  importunate  in  the  prayer  of  Moles, 
the  man  of  God,  upon  a  meditation  of  the 
the  fhortnefs  of  life,  Pfal.  xc.  12.  w  So 
"  teach  us  to  number  our  days  as  to  apply 
u  our  hearts  to  wifdom,"  i.  c.  So  teach  us  to 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  PR.   V.'ATTS.  10^ 

confide!*  how  few  and  uncertain  our  days  are, 
that  we  may  be  truly  wife  in  preparing  for 
the  end  of  them. 

It  is  a  matter  of  vafl  importance  to  be 
ever  ready  for  the  end  of  time,  ready  to 
hear  this  awful  fentence  confirmed  with  the 
oath  of  the  glorious  a^gel,  that  "  time  mail 
"  be  no  longer/'  The  terrors  or  the  com- 
forts of  a  dying  bed  depend  upon  it  i  the 
folemn  and  deciiive  voice  of  judgment  'de- 
pends upon  it  :  the  joys  and  the  forrows  of  a 
long  eternity  depend  upon  it  :  go  now,  care- 
lefs  tinner,  and  in  the  view  of  fuch  thmgs  as 
theie,  go  and  trifle  away  t:me  as  you  have 
done  before  ;  time,  that  invaluable  treafure  : 
go  and  venture  the  loft  oi  your  fouls,  and 
the  hopes  of  heaven  and  your  eternal  hap- 
pinefs,  in  wafting  a.vay  the  remnant  of  hours 
or  moments  of  life  :  but  remember  the  aw- 
ful voice  of  the  angel  is  haftening  towards 
tou,  and  the  found  isjufl  breaking  upon  you^ 
that "  time  fhall  be  no  longer." 

W03iD    TO    COMIj  V.   12  C, 


T  HE     C  H  U  R  C  H  -  Y  A  RD, 

WHAT  a  number   of  hillocks^  of  C^ih 
cDoear  all  round  us  !     What  are  the  k 


150  THE   BEAUTIES   OF   DR.   WATTS, 

ftones,  but  memorials  of  the  inhabitants  of 
that  town,  to  inform  us  of  the  period  of  all 
their  lives,  and  to  point  out  the  day  when  it 
was  faid  to  each  of  them,  "  Your  time  (hall 
"  be  no  longer."  O,  may  I  readily  learn 
this  important  lerTon,  that  my  turn  is  harden- 
ing to  ;  fuch  a  little  hillock  mail  fhorliy  a- 
rile  for  me  in  fome  unknown  fpot  of  ground, 
it  (hall  cover  this  fie ih  and  thefe  bones  of 
mine  in  darknefs-,  and  (hall  hide  them  from 
the  light  of  the  fun,  and  from  the  fight  of 
man  till  the  heavens  be  no  more. 

Perhaps  fbme  kind  furviving  friend  may 
engrave  my  name,  with  the  number*  of  my 
days,  upon  a  plain  funeral  (tone,  without  or- 
nament, and  below  envy  :  there  fhall  my* 
tomb  ftand  among  the  reft  as  a  frefTi  monu- 
ment of  the  frailty  of  nature  and  the  end  of 
time.  It  is  pofiible  fome  friendly  toot  may 
now  and  then  vifit  the  place  of  my  repofc, 
and  fome  tender  eye  may  bedew  the  cold 
memorial  with  a  tear  :  one  or  another  of 
my  old  acquaintance  may  poflibly  attend 
there  to  learn  the  filcnt  lecture  of  mortality 
from  my  grave-ftone,  which  my  lips  are  now 
preaching  aloud  to  the  world  :  and  if  love 
and  forrows  fhould  reach  fo  far,  perhaps 
while  his  foul  is  melting  in  his  eye-lids,  and 
his  voice  fcarce  finds  an  utterance,  he  will 
point  with  his  finger,  and  mew  his  compa- 
nion the  month  and  the  day  of  my  difeafe.  O, 
that  fokmn,  that  awful  day,  which  (hall  h 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF   DR.  WA.TTS.  187 

my  appointed  time  on  earrb,  and  put  a  final 
period  to  all  the  defigns  of  my  heart,  and  all 
the  labours  of  my  tongue  and  pen  ! 

Think,  O  my  foul,  that  while  friends  or 
flrangers  are  engaged  on  that  fpot,  and  read- 
ing the  date  of  my  departure  hence,  thou 
wilt  be  fixed  under  a  decifive  and  unchan- 
geable fen  tence,  rejoicing  in  the  rewards  of 
time  well-improved,  or  fufFering  the  longer 
forrows  which  (hall  attend  the  abufe  of  it,  in 
an  unknown  world  of  happinefs  or  mifery. 

WORLD    TO    tOME,    P.    I2£. 


GUILT     AND     INNOCENCE, 

DANGER  of  guilt  Hands  near  the  ex- 
treme  limits  of  innocence. 

WORLD    TO    GOME,     ?.    I  77, 


THE    DANGER    OF    LATE    REPENTANCE, 

IT  is  a  wife  and  juft  obfervation  among 
Chriftians,  though  it  is  a  very  common  one, 
that  the  fcriptures  give  us  one  in  [ranee  of  a 
penitent  faved  in  his  dying  hour,  and  that  is 
the  thief  upon  the  crofs,  that  fo  none  aright 


1  88  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

utterly  defpair  ;  but  there  is  but  one  fuch  in- 
ftance  given,  that  none  might  preiume. 
The  work  of  repentance  is  too  difficult,  and 
too  important  a  thing,  to  be  left  to  the  lan- 
guors of  a  dying  bed,  and  the  tumults  and 
flutterings  of  thought  which  attend  fuch  a 
late  conviction.  There  can  be  hardly  an'/ 
effectual  proofs  given  of  the  fincerity  of  fuch 
repentings  :  and  1  am  verily  perfuaded  there 
are  few  of  them  (incere  ;  for  we  have  often 
found  thefe  violent  emotions  ot  confeiencs 
vanifri  aga'.n,  if  the  hnner  has  happened  to 
recover  his  health  :  they  feem  to  be  merely 
the  wild  perplexities  and  druggies  of  nature, 
averfe  to  mifery, rather  than  averfe  to  fin :  their 
renouncing  their  former  lufts  on  the  bor- 
ders of  hell  and  deftruction,  is  more  like- 
the  vehement  efforts  of  a  drowning  creature, 
conftrained  to  let  go  a  moft  beloved  objecl,. 
and  taking  eager  hold  of  any  plank  for  fafe- 
ty,  rather  than  the  calm  and  reasonable,, 
and  voluntary  defigns  of  a  mariner, .who  for- 
fakes  his  early  joys,  ventures  himfelf  in  a  ihip 
that  is  offered  him,  and  fets  fail  for  the  hea- 
venly country.  I  never  will  pronounce  fuch 
efforts  and  endeavours  defperate,  left  I  limit 
the  grace  *  of  God,  which  is  unbounded;. 
But  1  can  give  very  little-  encouragement  lor 
hope  to  an  houror  two,  of  this  vehement' 
and  tumultuous  penitence,  on  the  very  brink 
of  damnation.  "  Judas  repented,"  but  his 
agonies  of-  foul  hurried  him  to  haflen  his  own 


THE   BEAUTIES   OF   DR.  WATTS.        189 

death,  "  that  he  might  go  to  his  own  place  :" 
and  there  is  abundance  ot  iuch  kind  of  re- 
penting in  every  corner  of  hell  ;  that  is  a 
deep  and  dreadful  pit,  whence  there  is  no 
redemption,  though  there  are  millions  of 
fuch  fort  of  penitents  ;  it  is  a  ftrong  and 
dark  prifon,  where  no  beam  of  comfort  ever 
fhines,  where  bitter  anguifh.  and  mourning 
for  fins  pari,  is  no  evangelical  repentance, 
but  everlafting  and  hopelefs  forrow. 

WJRL»    TO    COM!,    P.    1$$. 


VANITY    INSCRIBED    ON    ALL    THINGS, 

TIME,  like  a  long  flowing  dream,  makes 
hafte  into  eternity,  and  is  forever  loft  and 
fwallowed  up  there  ;  and  while  it  is  harden- 
ing to  its  period,  it  fweeps  away  all  things 
with  it  which  are  not  immortal.  There  is 
a  limit  appointed  by  Providence,  to  the  du- 
ration of  all  the  pleafant  and  deferable  (cenes 
of  life,  10  all  the  works  of  the  hands  of  men, 
with  all  the  glories  and  excellencies  of  ani- 
mal nature,  and  all  that  is  made  of  flefh  and 
blood.  Let  us  not  doat  upon  any  thing  here 
below,  for  heaven  hath  infcribed  vanity  up- 
on it.  The  moment  is  haftening  when  the 
decree  of  heaven  fhall  be  uttered,  and  Pro- 


I90         THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

vidence  (hall  pronounce  upon  every  glory  of 
the  earth,  c<  It's  time  (hall  be  ho  longer." 

What  is  that  (lately  building,  that  princely 
palace,  which  now  entertains  and  amufes  our 
light  with  ranks  of  marble  columns,  and 
wide  fpreading  arches,  that  gay  edifice  which 
enriches  our  imagination  with  a  thoufand  roy- 
al ornaments,  and  a  profufion  of  coftly  and 
glittering  furniture  ?  Time  and  all  its  circling 
hours,  with  afwift  wing  are  brufhing  it  away, 
decay  deals  upon  it  infenfibly,  and  a  few 
years  hence  it  (hall  lie  in  mouldering  ruin 
and  defolation.  Unhappy  poiTeiTor,  if  he  has 
no  better  inheritance  I 

What  are  thofe  fine  and  elegant  gardens, 
thofe  delightful  walks,  thofe  gentle  afcents, 
and  foft  declining  Hopes,  which  raife  and  fink 
the  eye  by  turns  to  a  thoufand  .vegetable 
pleafures  ?  How  lovely  are  thofe  fweet  bor- 
ders, and  thofe  growing  varieties  of  bloom 
and  fruit,  which  recal  loft:  paradife  to  mind  ? 
Thofe  living  parterres  which  regale  the  fenfe 
with  vital  fragrancy,  and  make  glad  the  fight 
by  their  refrefliing  verdure  and  intermingled 
flowery  beauties  ?  The  fey  the  of  time  is 
paffing  over  them  all  :  they  wither,  they 
die  away,  they  drop  and  vanifh  into  duft  ; 
their  duration  is  (hort  ;  a  few  months  deface 
all  their  yearly  glories,  and  within  a  few  years, 
perhaps  all  thefe  riling  terras -walks,  thefe 
gentle  verging  declivities,  fhall  lofe  all  order 
and  elegance,  and  become  a  rugged  heap  of 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.   WATTS.       I9I 

ruins  :  thofe  well-diflinguifhed  borders  and 
parterres. (hall  be  levelled  in  confufion,  and 
thrown  into  corrmon  earth  again,  for  the 
ox  and  afs  to  graze  upon  them.  Unhappy 
man,  who  pofTeffes  this  agreeable  {pot  of 
ground,  if  he  has  no  paradife  more  durable 
than  this  ! 

And  no  wonder  that  thefe  labours  of  the 
hands  of  men  mould  periih,  when  even  the 
works  of  God  are  perilhable. 

What  are  thefe  villble  heavens,  thefe  low- 
er fkies,  and  this  globe  of  earth  !  they  are 
indeed  the  glorious  workmanihip  of  the  Al- 
mighty. But  they  are  waxing  old,  and  wait- 
ing- their  period  too,  when  the  angel  fhall 
pronounce  upon  them  that  "  time  fhall  be 
"  no  more."  The  heavens  "  fhall  be  fold- 
xc  ed  up  as  a  vefture,  the  elements  of  the 
•'  lower  world  fh all  melt  with  fervent  heat, 
€t  and  the  earth  and  all  the  works  thereof, 
"  mall  be  burnt  with  fire."  May  the  un- 
ruinable  world  be  but  my  portion,  and 
the  heaven  of  heavens  my  inheritance, 
which  is  built  for  an  eternal  manfion  for  the 
fons  of  God  :  thefe  buildings  (hall  out-live 
time  and  nature,  and  exift  through  unknown 
ages  of  felicity  I 

What  have  we  mortals  to  be  proud  of  in 
our  prefent  (late,  when  every  human  glory  is 
fo  fugitive  and  fading  ?  Let  the  brighter! 
and  the  be-ft  of  us  fay  to  ourfeives,  that  we 
are  but  duf!  and  vanity. 


1^2        THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

Is  my  body  formed  upon  a  graceful  mo- 
del ?  Are  my  limbs  well  turned,  and  my 
complexion  better  coloured  than  my  neigh- 
bours ?  Beauty  even  in  perfection  is  of  fhort- 
cft  date  ;  a  few  years  will  inform  me  that  its 
bloom  vaniihes,  its  flower  withers,  its  luftre 
grows  dim,  its  duration  fhall  be  no  longer  ; 
and  if  life  be  prolonged,  yet  the  pride  and 
glory  of  it  is  for  ever  loft  in  age  and 
wrinkles :  or  perhaps  our  vanity  meets  a 
fpeedier  fate.  Death  and  the  grave  with  a 
fovereign  and  irreftible  command,  fumm::n 
the  brightefl  as  well  as  the  coarfeft  pieces  of 
human  nature,  to  lie  down  early  in  their  cold 
embraces  ;  and  at  laft  they  muft  all  mix  to- 
gether among  worms  and  corruption.  JEfop 
the  deformed,  and  Helena  the  fair,  are  loll 
and  undtftinguifhed  in  common  earth.  Na- 
ture in  its  gayeft  bloom,  is  but  a  painted 
vanity. 

Are  my  nerves  well  ftrung  and  vigorous  r 
Is  my  activity  and  ftrength  far  fuperior  to 
my  neighbours  in  the  day  of  youth  :  But 
youth  hath  its  appointed  limit  :  age  fteals 
upon  it,  unftrings  the  nerves,  and  makes  the 
force  of  them  languifh  into  infirmity  and  fee- 
blenefs.  Sampfon  and  Goliah  would  have  loft 
boafted  advantages  of  ftature  and  their 
brawny  limbs,  in  the  courfe  of  half  a  century, 
though  the  one  had  efcaped,  the  fling  of  Da- 
vid, and  the  other  the  vengeance  of  his  own 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  I  93 

hands  in  the  ruin  of  Dagon's  temple.  Man 
in  his  bed  eftate  is  a  flying  ihadow  and  van- 
ity. 1 

Even  thofe  nobler  powers  of  human  lifei 
which  feem  to  have  fomethiog  angelical  in 
them,  I  mean  the  powers  of  wit  and  fancy, 
gay  imagination  and  capacious  memory,  they 
are  all  fubject  to  the  fame  laws  of  decay  and 
death.  What  though  they  can  raife  and  an- 
imate beautiful  fcenes  in  a  moment,  and  in 
imitation  of  creating  power,  can  ipread  bright 
appearances  and  new  worlds  before  the  fenfes 
and  the  fouls  of  their  friends  ?  What  though 
they  carr  entertain 'the  better  part  of  man- 
kind, the  refined  and  polite  world  with  high 
delight  and  rapture  ?  Thefe  fcenes  of  rap- 
turous delight,  grow  flat  and  old  by  a  fre- 
quent review,  and  the  very  powers  that  raifed 
them  grow  feeble  apace.  What  though  they 
can  give  immortal  applaufe  and  fame  to  their 
porTefTors  !  It  is  but  the  immortality  of  an 
empty  name,  a  mere  fucceflion  of  the  breath 
of  men  ;  and  it  is  a  fhort  fort  of  immortali- 
ty too,  which  mud  die  and  perifh  when  this 
world  perifnes.  A  poor  fhadow  of  duration 
indeed,  while  the  real  period  of  thefe  powers 
is  haftening  every  day  ;  they  languifh  and 
die  as  faft  as  animal  nature,  which  has  a  large 
ihare  in  them,  makes  hafte  to  its  decay  $  and 
the  time  of  their  exercife  fhall  fliortly  be  no 
more. 

R 


1^4         THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

In  vain  the  aged  poet  or  the  painter,  would 
call  up  the  mufe  and  genius  of  their  youth, 
and  fummon  all  the  arts  of  their  imagination, 
to  fpread  and  drefs  out  fome  vifionary  fcene  : 
In  vain  the  elegant  orator  would  recal  the 
bold  and  mafterly  figures,  and  all  thofe  flow- 
ery images  which  gave  ardour,  grace  and  dig- 
nity to  his  younger  compofures,  and  charmed 
jevery  ear  :  they  are  gone,  they  are  fled  be- 
yond the  reach  of  their  owner's  call  :  their 
time  is  paft,  they  are  vanifhed  and  loft  be- 
yond all  hope  of  recovery. 

The  God  of  nature  has  pronounced  an  un- 
paffable  period,  upon  all  the  powers  and  pleaf- 
ures  and  glories  of  this  mortal  ftate.  let  us 
then  be  afraid  to  make  any  of  them  our  boafl 
or  our  happinefs  ;  but  point  our  affections 
to  thofe  diviner  objects  whofe  nature  is  ever- 
lafling  ;  let  us  feek  thofe  religious  attain- 
ments, and  thofe  new-created  powers  of  a 
fan&ifled  mind,  concerning  which  it  fhall 
never  be  pronounced  that  their  "  time  (hall 
"  be  no  longer." 

O  may  every  one  of  us  be  humbly  con- 
tent, at  the  call  of  heaven,  to  part  with  all 
that  is  pleating  or  magnificent  here  on  earth  ; 
let  us  refign  even  thefe  agreeable  talents  when 
the  God  of  nature  demands  ;  and  when  the 
hour  arrives, .  that  mail  clofe  our  eyes  to  all 
vifible  things,  and  lay  our  flefhly  ftru&ure  in 
the  duft  ;  let  us  yield  up  our  whole  felves  to 
the  hands  of  our  creator,  who  fhall  referve 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS,  I95 

our  fpirits  with  himfelf ;  and  while  we  cheer- 
fully give  up  all  that  was  mortal  to  the  gravey 
we  may  lie  down  full  of  the  joyful  hope  of  a 
rifing  immortality.  New  and  unknown  pow- 
ers and  glories,  brighter  flames  of  imagina- 
tion, richer  fcenes  of  wit  and  fancy,  and  di- 
viner talents  are  preparing  for  us  when  we 
fhall  awake  from  the  duft  ;  and  the  mind  it- 
felf  (hall  have  all  its  faculties  in  a  fublime 
flate  of  improvement.  Thefe  fhall  make  us 
equal,  if  not  fuperior,  to  angels,  for  we  are 
nearer  a  kin  to  the  Son  of  God  than  they 
are,  and  therefore  we  Avail  be  made  more 
like  him. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,  P.    124, 


OF     PRAYER. 

PRAYER  is  a  fecret  and  appointed  means7 
to  obtain  all  the  blefiings  that  we  want,  wheth- 
er they  relate  to  this  life,  or  the  life  to  come  ; 
and  fhall  we  not  know,  how  to  ufe  the  means 
God  hath  appointed  for  our  happinefs  ?  Shall 
ib  glorious  a  privilege  lie  unimproved  through 
our  own  neglect  ? 

Were  the  bufinefs  of  prayer  nothing  elfe 
but  to  come  and  beg  mercy  of  God,  it  would 
be  the  duty  of  every  man  to  know  how  to 
draw  up  fuch  petitions  :  but  prayer  is  a  work 


196  THE   BEAtfTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

of  much  larger  extent.  When  a  holy  foul 
comes  before  God,  he  hath  much  more  to 
fay  than  merely  to  beg.  He  tells  his  God 
what  a  ienie  he  hath  of  the  divine  attributes, 
and  what  high  efteem  he  pays  to  his  Majefty, 
his  wifdom,  his  power,  and  his  mercy.  He 
talks  with  him  about  the  works  of  creation, 
and  ftands  wrapt  up  in  wonder.  He  talks 
about  the  grace  and  myflery  of  redemption, 
and  is  yet  more  filled  with  admiration  and 
joy.  He  talks  ef  all  the  affairs,  of  nature, 
grace,  and  glory  ;  he  fpeaks  of  his  works  of 
providence,  of  love,  and  vengeance,  in  this 
and  the  future  world.  Infinite  and  glorious 
are  the  fubjects  of  this  holy  communion  be- 
tween God  and  his  faints  :  and  fhall  we  con- 
tent ourselves  with  fighs  and  groans,  and  a 
few  fhort  wifhes,  and  deprive  our  fouls  of  {o 
rich,  fo  divine,  fo  glorious  a  pleafure,  for 
want  of  knowing  how  to  furniih  out  fuch 
meditations,  and  to  fpeak  this  blefled  lan- 
guage. 

How  excellent  and  valuable  is  this  (kill  of 
prayer,  in  comparifon  of  the  many  meaner 
arts  and  accomplishments  of  human  nature 
that  we  labour  night  and  day  to  obtain  ? 
What  toil  do  men  daily  undergo  for  kven 
years  together,  to  acquire  the  knowledge  of 
a  trade  and  bufinefs  in  thispreient  life.  Now 
created  part  of  the  bufinefs  between  us 
and  heaven  is  traniacted  in  the  way  of  prayer  : 
with  how  much  more  diligence  fliouid  we 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         I97 

leek  the  knowledge  of  this  heavenly  com- 
merce, than  any  thing  that  concerns  us  mere- 
ly on  earth  ?  How  many  years  of  our  fhort 
life  are  fpent  to  learn  the  Greek,  the  Latin, 
and  the  French  tongues,  that  we  may  hold 
correfpondence  abroad  among  the  living  na- 
tions, and  converfe  with  the  writings  of  the 
dead  i  And  (hall  not  the  language  wherein 
we  converfe  with  heaven  and  the  living  God, 
be  thought  worth  equal  pains  ?  How  nicely 
do  fome  perfons  ftudy  the  art  of  converfation, 
that  they  may  be  accepted  in  all  companies, 
and  mare  in  the  favour  of  men  ?  Is  not  the 
fame  care  due,  to  feek  all  methods  of  accept- 
ance with  God,  that  we  may  approve  our- 
felves  in  his  prefence  I  What  a  high  value 
is  fet  upon  human  oratory,  or  the  art  of  per- 
fuafion,  whereby  we  are  fitted  to  difcourfe 
and  prevail  with  our  fellow  creatures  ?  And 
is  this  art  of  divine  oratory  of  no  e'fteem  with 
us,  which  teaches  us  to  utter  our  inward 
breathings  of  the  foul,  and  plead  and  prevail 
with  our  Creator,  through  the  afliftance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  mediation  of  our 
Lord  Jefus  ? 

O,  let  the  excellency  and  high  value  of 
this  gift  of  prayer  engage  ourearneftnefs  and 
endeavours  in  proportion  to  its  fuperior  dig- 
nity :  let  us  '•  covet  the  bed  of  gifts"  with 
the  warmer!  defire,  and  pray  for  them  with, 
ardent  fupplication,  i  Cor.  xii.  18. 
R  % 


I98         THE  BEAUTIES  0F  DR.  WATTS. 

Another  argument  may  be  borrowed  from 
our  very  character  and  profeffion  as  chridians  ; 
fome  meafure  of  the  gift  ef  prayer  is  of  great 
neceffity  and  univerlal  u(e  to  all  that  are  call- 
ed by  the  name. 

Shall  we  profefs  to  be  followers  of  Chrift, 
and  not  know  how  to  fpcak  to  the  Father  ? 
Are  we  commanded  ro  pray  always,  and  up- 
on all  occafions,  to  be  conn1  ant  and  fervent  in 
it,  and  fhall  we  be  contented  with  ignorance 
and  incapacity  to  obey  this  command  ?  Are 
we  invited  by  the  warmed  exhortations,  and 
encouraged  by  the  highed  hopes  to  draw  near 
to  God  with  all  our  wants  and  forrows,  and 
fhall  we  not  learn  to  exprefs  thofe  wants,  and 
pour  out  thofe  forrows  before  the  Lord  ?  Is 
there  a  way  made  for  our  accefs  to  the  throne 
by  the  blood  and  interceffion  of  Jkfus  Chrid, 
and  mall  we  not  know  how  to  form  a  prayer 
to  be  fent  to  heaven,  and  fpread  before  the 
throne  by  his  glorious  interceffion  ?  Is  his 
holy  Spirit  promifed  to  teach  us  to  pray,  and 
fhall  a  chridian  be  carelefs  or  unwilling  to 
receive  fuch  divine  teachings  ? 

There  is  not  any  faculty  in  the  whole 
chridian  life  that  is  called  out  into  fo  frequent 
exercife  as  this  ;  and  it  is  a  mod  unhappy 
thing  to  be  always  at  a  lofs  to  perform  the 
work  which  daily  necemty  requires,  and  daily 
duty  demands.  Will  a  perfon  profrfs  to  be 
a  fcholarj  that  cannot  read  ?  Shall  any  man 
pret$.id  to  be  a  miniftof,  that  cannot  preach  I 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  1^9 

And  it  is  but  a  poor  pretence  we  make  to 
chriftianity,  if  we  are  not  able,  at  lead  in  ie- 
cret,  to  iupply  ourielves  with  a  few  medita- 
tions or  expreffions,  to  continue  a  little  in 
this  work  of  prayer.  o 

GUIDE    TO    PRAYER,   P.     I99, 


DEGENERACY  OF  HUMAN  NATURE. 

LET  us  further  fuppofe,  what  is  fuffici- 
ently  evident  to  our  daily  obfervation  and 
experience,  that  all  mankind  are  now  a  de» 
generate,  feeble,  and  unhappy  race  of  beings, 
that  we  are  become  linners  in  the  fight  of 
God,  and  expofed  to  his  anger  :  it  is  mani- 
fed  enough,  that  thisjwhole  world  is  a  fallen, 
finful  and  rebellious  province  of  God's  Jo- 
minion,  and  under  the  actual  diipkaiure  of 
its  righteous  Creator  and  Governor.  The 
over-ipreading  deluge  of  folly  and  error,  ini- 
quity and  miiery,  that  covers  the  face  of  the 
earth,  gives  abundant  ground  foriuch  a  lup- 
pofition.  The  experience  of  every  man  on 
earth  affords  a  ftrong  and  melanchoy  proof, 
that  our  reafoning  powers  are  eafi!y  led  away 
into  miftake  and  faimood,  wretchedly  bribed 
and  bialfed  by  prejudices,  and  daily  overpow- 
ered by  fome  corrupt  appetites  or  pallions, 
and  our  wills  led  aftray  to  chooie  evil  inltead 


aOO         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

of  good.  The  beft  of  us  fometimes  break 
the  laws  of  our  Maker,  by  contradicting  the 
rules  of  piety  and  virtue  which  our  own  rea- 
fon  and  consciences  fugged  to  us  u  There  is 
"  none  righteous"  perfectly  ;  "  no  not  one." 
Nor  is  there  one  perfon  upon  earth  free  from 
troubles  and  difficulties,  and  pains  and  for- 
rows,  fuch  as  teftify  fome  refentment  of  our 
Maker. 

Even  from  our  infancy,  our  difeafes,  pains 
and  forrows  begin,  and  it  is  very  remarkably 
evident  in  fome  families,  that  thefe  pains  and 
difeafes  are  propagated  to  the  offspring,  as 
they  were  contracted  by  the  vices  of  the  par- 
ents :  and  particular  vicious  inclinations,  as 
well  as  particular  diftempers,.  are  conveyed 
from  parents  to  children  fometimes  through 
feveral  generations.  The  bed  of  us  are  not 
free  from  irregular  properties  and  parlions 
even  in  the  younger  parts  of  life,  and  as  our 
years  advance,  our  fins  break  out,  and  con* 
tinue  more  or  lefs  through  all  our  lives.  Our 
whole  race  then  is  plainly  degenerate,  finful 
and  guilty  before  God,  and  are  under  fome 
tokens  of  his  anger. 

STRENGTH    AND    WEAKNESS    OJT    HUM.  REASON,    P    257. 


VARIOUS  DEGREES  OF  GUILT  AND  PUNISHMENT. 

AS  there  is  infinite  variety  of  degrees  cf 
guilt  in  particular  perfons,  and  their  conduct 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  201 

in  this  world,  there  (hall  be  the  fame  variety 
of  the  degrees  of  puniihment  in  the  world  to 
come.  Every  man  mall  be  judged  according 
to  the  advantages  he  enjoyed.  More  is  re- 
quired from  thofe  whole  advantages  were 
greater,  and  their  guilt  is  more  heinous  in 
abufing  or  neglecting  them.  God,  the  all- 
knowing  and  the  righteous,  will  weigh  every 
circumftance,  both  of  his  favours  and  of  our 
ufe  or  abule  of  them,  in  the  niceft  balance, 
and  his  fentence  (hall  bear  an  exact  propor- 
tion to  the  demerits  of  every  (inner.  "  He 
u  that  knew  not  his  mailer's  will,  (hall  be 
<f  beaten  but  with  few  (tripes,"  in  compan- 
ion with  thofe  criminals  who  knew  it,  and 
fought  again  ft  it.  S.uppofe  therefore  that 
the  puniihment  of  thefe  rudeftand  moft  ftu- 
pid  nations  upon  the  earth,  in  the  future 
world,  (hall  be  exceedingly  final],  in  propor- 
tion to  the  very  (mall  degrees  of  light  and 
knowledge  which  they  have  enjoyed,  or  which 
have  lain  fairly  and  practically  Within  their 
reach ;  will  not  this  greatly  relieve  the  diffi- 
culty ? 

And  if  even  thefe  lighted  punilhments 
which  (hall  be  affigned  to  the  moft  ignorant 
part  of  the  Heathen  world,  (hould  be  thought 
foraething  fevere,  yet  none  can  be  thought 
utterly  unjuft,  if,  as  was  before  obferved,  none 
are  puniihed,  but  for  acting  in  fome  meafure 
againft  the  light  of  their  own  minds. 

STRENGTH    AND  WEAKNESS  OF  HUMAN  REASON,  P.  17$. 


202         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


THE  RAKE  REFORMED  IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  MOURN- 
ING. 

FLORINO  was  young  and  idle  ;  he  gave 
himfelf  up  to  all  the  diverfions  of  the  town, 
and  roved  wild  among  the  pleafures  of  fenfe  ; 
nor  did  he  confine  himfelf  within  the  limits 
of  virtue,  or  withhold  his  heart  from  any  for- 
bidden joy.  Often  hath  he  been  heard  to 
ridicule  marriage,  and  affirm  that  no  man 
can  mourn  heartily  for  a  dead  wife,  for  then 
he  hath  leave  by  the  law  to  choofe  a  new  com- 
panion, to  riot  in  all  the  gayer  fcenes  of  a 
new  courtfhip,  and  perhaps  to  advance  his 
fortune  too. 

When  he  heard  of  the  death  of  Serena, 
"  Well,  faid  he,  I  will  go  vifit  my  friend  Lu- 
"  cius,  and  rally  him  a  little  on  this  occa- 
"  fion."  He  went  the  next  day  in  all  the 
wantonnefs  of  his  heart  to  fulfil  his  defign* 
inhuman  and  barbarous  as  it  was,  and  to  fporfc 
with  folemn  forrow.  But  when  Lucius  ap- 
peared, the  man  of  gaiety  was  ftrangely  fur- 
prifed,  he  faw  fu-ch  a  fincere  and  inimitable 
diftrefs  fitting  on  his  countenance,  and  dif- 
covering  itfelf  in  every  air  and  action,  that 
he  dropt  his  cruel  purpofe,  his  foul  began  to 
melt,  and  he  aflumed  the  comforter. 

Florino's  methods  of  confolation  were  all 
drawn  from  two  topics  :  fome  from  fate  and 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.        20^ 

necefiity,  advifing  an  heroic  indolence  about 
Unavoidable  events,  which  are  paft  and  can- 
not be  reverfed  ;  and  fome  were  derived  from 
the  various  amufements  of  life  which  call  the 
foul  abroad,  and  divide  and  fcatter  the 
thoughts,  and  fuffer  not  the  mind  to  attend 
to  its  inward  anguifh.  "  Come,  Lucius, 
"  faid  he,  come,  fmooth  your  brows  a  little 
"  and  brighten  up  for  an  hour  or  two  :  come 
"  along  with  me  to  a  concert  this  evening 
"  where  you  fliall  hear  fome  of  the  beft  pie- 
"  ces  of  muftc,  that  were  ever  compofed,  and 
"  performed  by  fome  of  the  bed  hands  that 
Xi  ever  touched  an  inftrument.  To-morrow 
"  I  will  wait  on  you  to  the  play,  or,  if  you 
**  pleafe  to  the  new  opera,  where  the  Icenes 
u  are  fo  furprifing  and  fo  gay,  they  would  al- 
"  moft  tempt  an  old  hermit  from  his  belov- 
"  ed  cell,  and  call  back  his  years  to  three 
**  and  twenty.  Come,  my  friend,  what  have 
"  the  living  to  do  with  the  dead  ?  Do  but 
<%  forget  your  grievances  a  little,  and  tbey 
£i  will  die  too  :  come,  (hake  off  the  fpleen, 
<f  divert  your  heart  with  the  entertainments 
Ci  of  wit  and  melody,  and  call  away  your  fan- 
u  cy  from  thefe  gloomy  and  ufelefs  contem- 
"  plations."  Thus  he  ran  on  in  his  own  way 
of  talking,  and  opened  to  his  mourning  friend 
the  beft  Iprings  of  comfort  that  he  was  ac- 
quainted with. 

Lucius  endured  this  prattle  as  long  as  he 
was  able  to  endure  it,  but  it  had  no  manner 


204         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

of  influence  to  (launch  the  bleeding  wound, 
or  to  abate  his  fmarting  forrows.  His  pain 
waxed  more  intenfe  by  fucb  fort  of  applica- 
tions, and  the  grief  foon  grew  too  unruly  to 
contain  itfelf. 

Lucius  then  afked  leave  to  retire  a  little  : 
Florino  followed  him  foftly  at  a  diftance  to 
the  door  of  his  clofet,  where  indeed  he  ob- 
ferved  not  any  of  the  rules  of  civility  or  juft 
decency,  but  placed  himfelf  near  enough  to 
liften  how  the  paffion  took  its  vent  :  and 
there  he  heard  the  diftrerTed  Lucius  mourn- 
ing over  Serena's  death  in  fuch  language  as 
this. 

What  did  Florino  talk  about  ?  Necefiity 
and  fate  ?  Alas,  this  is  my  mifery,  that  fo 
painful  an  event  cannot  be  reverfed,  that  the 
divine  will  has  made  it  fate,  and  there  is  a 
rieceffily  of  my  enduring  it. 

Plays  and  mufic  and  operas  !  what  poor 
trifles  are  thefe  to  give  eafe  to  a  wounded 
heart  !  to  a  heart  that  has  loft  its  choiceit 
half  !  a  heart  that  lies  bleeding  in  deep  an- 
guifh  underjuch  a  keen  parting  ftroke,  and 
the  long,  long  abience  of  my  Serena  !  She  is 
gone. — The  defire  of  my  eyes  and  the  del 
of  my  foul  is  gone. — The  fir  ft  or  earthly 
comforts  and  the  beft  of  mortal  bleffings. — 
She  is  gone,  and  ihe  has  taken  with  her  all 
that  was  pleafant,  all  that  could  'brighten  the 
gloomy  hours  or  life,  that  could  fol'ten  the 
cares  and  relieve  the  burdens  of  it.     She  is 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.-WATTS.         20^ 

:gone,  and  the  beft  portion  and  joy  of  my  life 
is  departed.  Will  fhe  never  return,  never 
come  back  and  blefs  my  ^yes  again  ?  No  ; 
never,  never. — She  will  no  more  come  back 
to  vifit  this  wretched  world,  and  to  dry  thefe 
weeping  eyes.  That  beft  portion  of  my  life, 
that  dearefl  blefling  is  gone,  and  will  return 
no  more.  Sorrows  in  long  fuccefiion  await 
me  while  I  live  ;  all  my  future  days  are  mark- 
ed out  for  grief  and  darknefs. 

Let  the  man,  who  feels  no  inward  pain  at 
•fhe  lofs  of  fuch  a  partner,  drefs  his  dwelling 
in  black  fhades  and  dilmal  formalities  :  let 
'him  draw  the  curtains  of  darknefs  around 
him  and  teach  his  chambers  a  fafhionable 
mourning  :  but  real  anguilh  of  heart  needs 
none  of  thefe  raodifh  and  difTembled  farrows. 
My  foul  is  hung  round  with  dark  images  in 
■all  her  apartments,  and  every  fcene  is  fincere 
lamentation  and  death. 

I  thought  once  1  had  fome  pretences  to 
the  courage  of  a  man  :  but  this  is  a  feafon 
of  untried  diltrefs:  I  now  fhudder  at  a.th  ought, 
I  dart  at  fhadows,  my  fpirits  are  iunk^  and 
horror  has  taken  hold  oi  me.  I  feel  paflions 
in  me  that  were  unknown  before  ;  love  has 
its  own  proper  grief  and  its  peculiar  anguiih. 
Mourning  love  has  thofe  agonies  and  thofc 
finkings  of  (pint  which  are  known  only  t<* 
.bereaved  and  virtuous  lovers. 
S 


2o6         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

I  (talk  about  like  a  ghoft  in  mufing  filencc, 
till  the  gathering  iorrow  grows  too  big  for  the 
heart  and  burfts  out  into  weak  and  unmanly 
wailings.  Strange  and  overwhelming  ftroke 
indeed!  It  has  melted  all  the  man  within 
me  down  to  foftnefs  •:  my  nature  is  gone  back 
to  childhood  again  :  I  would  maintain  the 
'-dignity  of  my  age  and  my  fex,  but  thele  eyes 
rebel  and  betray  me  ;  the  eyelids  are  full, 
£hey  overflow  ;  the  drops  of  love  and  grief 
trickle  down  my  cheeks,  and  plow  the  fur- 
rows of  age  there  before  their  time. 

How  often  in  a  day  are  theie  fluices  open- 
ed afrefh  f  The  fight  of  every  friend  that 
knew  her  calls  up  my  weaknefs  and  betrays 
my  frailty.  I  am  quite  aOiamed  of  myfelf. 
What  fhall  I  do?  Is  there  nothing  of  man- 
hood left  about  my  heart  ?  I  will  refill:  the 
paflion,  I  will  flruggle  with  nature,  J  will 
grow  indolent  and  forbid  my  tears*  Alas, 
poor  feeble  wretch  that  I  am  !  In  vain  I 
flruggle  -,  in  vain  I  refifl  :  the  affumed  in- 
dolence vaniflies  ;  the  real  paflion  works  with- 
in, it  fwells  and  bears  down  all  before  it :  the 
horrent  riles  and  prevails  hourly^  and  nature 
will  have  its  way.  Even  the  Son  of  God 
when  he  became  man,  was  found  weeping  at 
the  tomb  of  a  darling  friend.  Lazarus  died 
and  Jefus  wept. 

O  my  foul,  what  mall  I  do  to  relieve  this 
heart-ach  ?  How  fhall  I  cure  this  painful 
(enfibility  ?  Is  there  no  opiate  will  reach  it  ? 


i 


THE  BEAUTIES-  OF  DR.  WATTS.       20? 

Whither  mail  I  go  to  leave  my  forrows  be-- 
hind  me  ?  I  wander  from  one  room  to  ano- 
ther, and  wherever  I  go  I  fti-11  feem  to  feek 
hzr,  but  I  mifs  her  (till.  My  imaginatiorr 
fhtters  me  with  her  lovely  image,  and  tempts 
me  to  doubt,  is  me  dead  indeed  £  My  fond 
imagination  would  fain  forget  her  death-bed, 
and  impofe  upon  my  hope  that  I  mail  find 
her  fomewhere.  1  vifit  her  apartment,  I 
ileal  into  her  clofet  :  in  days  pad  when  I 
have  miffed  her  in  the  parlour*  how  often 
have  I  found  the  dear  creature  in  that  belov- 
ed corner  of  the  houfe,  that  fweet  place  of 
divine  retirement  and  converfe  with  heaven? 
But  even  that  clofet  is  empty  now.  I  go 
thither,  and  I  retire  in  dilappointment  and- 
eonfunon. 

Methinks  I  mould  meet  her  in  fome  of 
her  walks,  in  fome  of  her  family  cares,  or 
her  innocent  amufements  :  I  fhould  fee  her 
face,  methinks,  I  fhould  hear  her  voice  and 
exchange  a  tender  word  or  two. — Ah  fooiiuV 
rovings  of  a  diftxefTed  and  difquieted  fancy  \ 
Every  room  is  empty  and  filent  ;  clofet,  par- 
lours, chambers,,  all  empty,  all  filent  ;  and 
that  very  filence  and  emptinefs  proclaim  my 
forrows:  even  emptinefs  and  deep  filence 
join  to  confefs  the  painful  lofs^ 

Shall  I  try  then  to  put  her  quite  out  of 
my  thoughts,  fince  me  will  come  to  no  more 
within  the  reach  of  my  fenfes  ?  Shall  I  loofen 
the  fair  piclure  and  drop  it  from  my  heart, 


20$        THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

fince  the  fairer  original  is  for  ever  gone  ?  Go,. 
then,  fair  picture,  go  from  my  bofom,  and: 
appear  to  my  foul  no  more.  Hard  word  ! 
but  it  mud  be  done  :  go,  depart  thou  deareft 
form  ;  thou  mod  lovely  of  images,  go  from 
my  heart  ;  thy  prefence  is  now  too  painful 
in  that  tender  part  of  me.  O  unhappy  word  ! 
Thy  prefence  painful  ?  A  difmal  change  in* 
deed  I  When  thou  wert  wont  to  arife  and 
flicw  thy felf  there,  graces  and  joys  were  wont 
to  arife  and  (hew  themfelves  :  graces  and 
joys  went  always  with  her  :  nor  did  her  image- 
ever  appear  without  them,  till  that  dark  'and; 
bitter  day  that  fpread  the  vail  of  death  over 
heir  :  but  her  image  dreft  in  that  gloomy 
vail  hath  loft  all  the  attendant  joys  and  graces, 
Let  her  picture  vaniih  from  my  foul  then,, 
i:nce  it  has  loft  thofe  endearing  attendants  : 
let  itvanifli  away  into  forgetfuinefs,  for  death 
hath  robbed  it  or  every  grace  and  every  j  >y. 

Yet  ftay  a  little  there,  tempting  image,  let 
me  once  more  furvey  thee  :  ftay  a  little  mo- 
ment, and  let  me  take  one  Lift  glance,  one 
lolemn  farewell.  Is  there  not  (bmething  in 
•he  refemblance  of  her  too  lovely  (till  to  have 
it  quite  baniihed  from  my  heart  ?  Can  I  fet 
my  foul  at  work  to  try  to  forget  her  ?  Can  I 
deal  i'o  unkindly  with  one  who  would  never 
have  forgotten  me  ?  Can  my  foul  live  with- 
out her  image  on  it  ?  Is  it  not  ftampt  there 
too  deep  ever  to  be  effaced  ? 

Methinks  I  feel  all  my  heart-firings  wrapt 


THE   BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  209 

arcund  her,  and  grow  fa  fail  to  that  dear 
picture  in  my  fancy,  they  feem  to  be  rooted 
there.  .To  be  divided  from  it  is  to  die.  Why 
ihould  I  then  piuiue  io  vain  and  fruitleis  an 
attempt  ?  What  ?  forget  myielf  ?  torget  my 
Jife  ?  No  ;  it  cannot  be  -y  nor  can  I  bear  to 
think  of  fiach  a  rude  and  cruel  tFe  itment  of 
an  image  fo  much  deferving  and  lo  miich  be- 
loved. Neither  pafiion  nor  reaici:  perinits 
me  to  forget  her,  nor  is  it  within  my  power. 
She  is  preient  almoft  to  all  my  thoughts  : 
me  is  with  me  in  all  my  motions  ;  grief  has 
arrows  with  her  name  upon  fchero,  that  Hick 
as  faft  and  as  de&p  as  thofe  of  love;  they^* 
cleave  to  my  vitals  wherefover  1  go,  bat  witii 
a  quicker  lenfatic-n  and  a  keener  pain'.  Alas 
it  is  love  and  ffrief  together  that  have  fnot  ail 
their  arrows  into  my  heart,  and  filled  every 
Vein  with  acute  anguifh  and  long  diif  re's. 

Whether  then-  ihall  I  fly  to  find  (biace  and 
eafe  h  I  cannot  depart' from  myfelf  :   Tcan- 
not  abandon  thefe  tender  and  imarting  Tenia - 
tions.      Shall  I  quit  the  houfe   and  aU   the 
apartments  of  it  which   renew  her  dear  me- 
mory ?  Shall  f  rove  in  thefe  open  fields  which 
lie  near  my  "dwelling,   and  fp  read  wide  their 
pieafing  verdure  ?  Shall  I  give  my   foul   p.- 
loofi:  to  all  nature  that  1  miles  around  me,  or 
fhall  I   confine  my  daily  walk  to  this  fhady 
and  delightful  garden  ?    Oh,  no  :    neither  of 
thefe  will  relieve  my  anguifh.     Serena  has  > 
too  often  blefled  me  with  her  company  botb* 
S    % 


2  10  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

in  this  garden  and  in  thefe  fields.  Her  very 
name  feems  written  on  every  tree  :  I  (hail 
think  of  hzr  and  fancy  I  iee  her  in  every  ftep 
I  take.  Here  ihe  prefr  the  grafs  with  her 
feet,  here  lhe  gathered  violets  and  rofes  and 
refrefhing  h.  rbsand  gave  the  lovely  collection 
of  fweetnefs.  into  my  hand.  But  alas,  the 
fweeteft  violet  and  the  faireft  rofe  is  fallen, 
is  withered,  and  is  no  more.  Farewell  then,, 
ye  fields  and  gardens,  with  all  vour  varieties 
of  green  and  flowery  joys  !  Ye  are  all  a  de- 
iert,  a  barren  wiklernefs,  fince  Serena  has 
for  ever  left  you  and  will  be  feen  there  no 
more.  * 

;   But  can  friends  -do  nothing  to  comfort  a 
mourner?  Come,  my  wife  friends,  furround 
me  and  divert  my  cares  with  vour  agreeable 
converfation.  (  Can  books  afford   no  relief  ? 
Come,  my  books,  ye  volumes  of  knowledge, 
ye  labours  of  the  learned  dead  ;    come,  fill: 
up  my    hours    with   fome  loothing  amuie- 
.  xiient.     I  call  my  better  friends  about  me,  I 
iiy  to  the  heroes  and£he  philolophers  of  an- 
cient ages  to  employ  'my  foul  among  tliera. 
But  alas  !  neither  learning  nor  books  amufe 
me, .nor  green  and  imiling  profpe&s  of  nature 
delight  me,  nor  converfation  with  my  wifeft: 
and   beft  friends  can    entertain  me- in  thefe' 
dark  and  melancholy  hours..     Solitude,  foli- 
tude   in    lome    unfeen .  corner,   fome    lonely; 
g.rotto,  overgrovvn    with    mattes;  this   is  my/ 
deareft  choice  3   let  me  dwell  in  my  beloved.* 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS*        21  I 

folitude  where  none  (hail  come  near  me  -r 
midnight  and  folitude  are  the  mod  pleafing 
things  to  a  man  who  is  weary  of  day-light 
and  of  all  the  fcenes  of  this  vifible  and  bufy 
world.  I  would  eat  and  drink  and  dwell  a- 
lone,  though  this  lonefome  humour  fooths 
and  gratifies  the  painful  paffions,  and  gives 
me  up  to  the  tyranny  of  my  fharpeft  forrows* 
Strange  mixture  that  h  am  made  of  !  I 
mourn  and  grieve  even  to  death,  and  yet  F 
ieem  fond  of  nothing  but  grief  and  mourn- 
ing. 

Woe  is  me  !  Is  tiiere  nothing  on  earth 
can  divert,  nothing  relieve  me?  Then  let 
my  thoughts  afcend  lo  paradife  and  heaven* 
there  I  {hall  find  her  better'part,  and  grief 
mufl  not  enter  there..  From  this  hour  take 
anew  turn,  O  my  fouls  and  never  think  of 
Serena  but  as  mining,  and  rejoicing  among 
the  fpirits  of.  the  blenV  and  in  the  prefence 
of  her  God.  Rife  often  in  holy  meditation 
to  the  celeftial  worlds  and  betake  thyfelfto 
more  intenfe  piety.  Devotion  has  wings  that 
will  bear  thee  high  above  the  tumults  and 
paffions  of  lower  life  i.  devotion  will  direct 
and  fpeed  thy  flight  to  a  country  of  brighter 
feenes. 

Shaice  off  this  earth  line  fs  of  mind,  this  duft 
of  mortality  that  hangs  about  thee  ;  rife  up- 
ward often  in  an  hour,  and  dwell   much  in 
thofe  regions  whether  thy  devout  partner  i$' 
gone  ;  thy  better  half  is  fafeiy  arrived  there^ 


212  THE  E'EAUTIES-OP  DR.  WATTS. 

and  that  world  knows  nothing  but  joy  and 
love. 

She  is  gone  ;  the  prophets  and  the  apof- 
tles  and  the  beft  of  departed  fouls  have 
marked  out  her  way  to  heaven ;  bare  witnefs 
yc  apoftles  and  holy  profilers,  ye  beft  of  de- 
parted fouls  bear  wttri'els,  that  I  am  feekiug 
to  follow  her  in  the  appointed  moment.  Let 
the  wheds  of  nature  and  time  roll  on  apace 
in  their  defined  way.  Let  funs  and  moons- 
nrife  and  let  apace,  and  light  a  lonefome  tra- 
veller onward  to  his  home.  BlefTed  Jefus  1 
be  thou  my  living  leader  !  Virtue,  and  the 
track  oS  Serena's  reet.be  my  daily  and  delight- 
ful path.  The  track  leads  upward  to  the  re- 
gions of  bve  and  joy*.  How  can  I  dare  to 
wander  from  the  path  of  virtue  left  I  loofe 
that  beloved  track  ?  Remember,  O  my  foul, 
her  footfteps  are  found  in  no  other  road. 

If  my  lovo  to  virtue  fhould  ever  fail  me, 
the  fteps  of  my  Serena  would  mark  out  the 
way,  and  help  to  fecure  me  from  wandering, 
O  may  the  kind  influences  of  heaven  del- 
cend  from  above  and  eftablifh  and  guard  my 
pious  reiolutions  1  May  the  divine  powers  of 
religion  be  my  continual  ftrength,  and  the 
hope  of  eternal  things  my  never-failing  (up- 
port,  till  lam  difmifTed  from  this  priion  of 
the  flefh  and  caHed  to  afcend  to  the  ipirits  of 
the  juft  made  perfect,  till  I  bid  adieu  to  ail 
that  is  not  immortal,  and  go  dwell  with  my 
God  and  my  adored  Saviour  -9  there  ihall  1 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.       2IJ- 

£nd  my  loft  Serena,  again,  and  fhare  with  her 
the  unutterable  joys  of  paradife. 

Here  Lucius  threw  himfelf  on  the  couch 
and  lay  filent  in  profound  meditation. 

When  Florino  had  heard  all  this  mourn- 
ful rhapfody,  he  retired  and  ftole  away  in  fe- 
cret,  for  he  was  now  utterly  afhamed  of  his 
firft  barbarous  defign  :  He  felt  a  fort  of 
firange  fympathy  of  forrow,  fuch  as  he  never 
knew  before,  and  with  it  fome  fparks  of  vir- 
tue began  to  kindle  in  his  boforn.  As  he 
mufed,  the  fire  burnt  within,  and  at  lafl  it 
made  its  way  to  his  lips  and  vented  itfelf. 
"  Well,  faid  he,  I  have  learnt  two  excellent: 
"  lefTons  to-day,  and  I  hope  1  fhail  never  for- 
"  get  them.     There  muft  be  fome  vaft  and 

*  unknown  pleafure  in  a  virtuous  love  be- 
"  yond  all  the  madnefs  of  wild  snd  transient 
"  amours  ;  otherwife  the  lofs  of  the  cbje<5c 
*■'  could  never  have  wrought  iuch  deep  and 
w  unfeigned  woe  in  a  foul. io  firm  and  man- 
•'  ly  as  that  of  Lucius.  I  begin  new  to  be- 
"  iieve  what  Milton  lung,  though  I  always 
**  read  the  lines  before  as   mere  poefy   and 

*  fable." 

Hail  wedded  love,  myfJerious  law,  trv.e  feurce- 
Qf  human  offspring,  fole  propriety 
In  Pasadi/e,  of  all  things  common  elfe  : 
By  thee  adulterous  luft  was  drivn  from  men. 
Among  the  beftial  herds  to  range  :  by  thee. 
Founded  in  reafony  loyal,  iu/l,  and  fare 


214         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

Relations  dear,  and  ail  the  charities 

Of  father,  fon  and  brother,  fir  ft  zvere  knozvn  :   . 

Perpetual  fountain  of  dome/lie  fweets. 

Here  love  his  golden  /hafts  employs,  here  lights 

His  confiani  lamp,  and  waves  his  purple  wings r 

Reigns  here  and  revels  :  not  in  the  bought  [mil's 

Of  harlots,  lovelefs,  joylefs,  unindecr  V, 

Cafual  amours,  mixt  dance,  or  wanton  majk 

Or  midnight  ball,  &c: 

"  BlefTed  poet,  that  could  fo  happily  unite 
"  love  and  virtue,  and  draw  fo  beautiful  a 
lt  fcene  of  real  felicity,  which  till  this  day  I 
'*  always  thought  was  merdy  romantic  and 
"  vifionary  !  Lucius  has  taught  me  tojun- 
"  derftand  thefe  lines,  for  he  has  felt  them  ; 
**  and  methinks  while  I  repeat  them  now  I 
"  feel  a  ftrange  new  fenfation.  I  am  con- 
iK  vinced  the  blind  poet  faw  deeper  into  na- 
u  ture  and  truth  than  I  could  have  imag- 
•*  ined.  There  is,  there  is  fuch  thing  as  a 
u  union  of  virtuous  fouls,  where  happinefs  is 
"only  found.  I  find  fome  glimmerings  of 
'*  facred  light  rifing  upon  me,  fome  unknown 
■*  pantings  within  after  fuch  a- partner  and 
"  fuch  a  life/' 

"  Nor  is  the  other  lefTon  which  I  have 
"  learnt  at  all  inferior  to  this,  but  in  truth  it 
<c  is  of  higher  and  more  durable  importance. 
fC  I  confefs  flnce  I  was  nineteen  years  old  I 
'*  never  thought  virtue  and  religion  had  been 
<f  good  for  any  thing,  bufto  tye  up  children 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.       215 

^  from  mifchief,  and  -frighten  fools  :  but  now 
-"  I  find  by  the  conducl  of  my  friend  Lucius, 
"that  as  the  fwecteft  and  fincereit  joys  of 
"  life  are  derived  from  virtue,  io  th«  moft 
4r  diftrefling  forrows  may  find  a  juft  reiief  in 
-"  religion  and  fincere  piety.  Hear  me,  thou 
"  Almighty  Maker  of  my  frame,  pity  and 
"  a/lift  a  returning  wanderer,  and  O  may  thy 
<c  hand  flamp  thefe  lelfons  upon  my  foui  in 
x<  everlafting  characters  V 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,  P.    fc6cu 


B  I  L  L  S      O  F     EXCHANGE. 

WHEN  a  rich  merchant  who  dwells  in  z 
foreign- land  afar  off,  commits  his  treafure  to 
the  hands  of  a  banker,  it  is  to  be  drawn  out 
in  (mailer  iums  by  his  fervants  or  his  friends 
here  at  home,  as  their  necefiities  (hall  require ; 
and  he  furnifhes  them  with  bills  of  exchange 
drawn  upon  his  banker  or  treafurer,  which 
are  paid  honourably  to  the  perfon  who  offers 
the  bill,  according  to  the  time  when  the 
word?  of  the  bill  appoint  the  payment. 

Is  it  not  poiTible  to  draw  a  beautiful  alle- 

fory  hence  to  reprelent  the  conduct   of  the 
leiTed  God  in  his  promifes  of  grace,  without 
debating  fo  divine  a  fubjed  ? 


2,1-6  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

God  the  Father,  the  fpring  and  fountain 
>of  all  grace,  dwells  in  regions  of  light  and  ho- 
linefs  inacceiliblej  too  far  off  for  us  to  con- 
verfe  with  hirn  or  receive  fupplies  from  him 
in  an  immediate  way  ;  but  he  has  lent  the 
Son  to  dwell  in  human  nature,  and  conftitut- 
ed  him  treafurer  of  all  his  bleflings,  that  we 
might  derive  perpetual  fupplies  from,  his 
hand  :  he  has  intruded  him  with  all  the  rich- 
es of  grace  and  glory  -t  he  has  laid  up  infinite 
ilores  of  love,  wifdom,  (trength,  pardon,  peace 
and  confolation  in  the  hands  of  his  Son  for 
this  very  purpofe,  to  be  drawn  out  thence  as 
fait  as  the  necefTities  of  his  faints  require. 
"  It  pleafed  the  Father  that  in  him  fhould  all 
"  fulnefs  dwell.  He  has  received  gifts  for 
"  men."     Col.  i.  19.   Pfal.  lxviii.  j8. 

Now  all  the  promifes  in  the  Bible,  are  fo 
many  bills  of  exchange  drawn  by  God  the 
Father  in  heaven,  upon  his  Son  Jefus  Chrifr, 
and  payable  to  every  pious  bearer  ;  that  is,  to 
every  one  that  comes  to  the  mercy-feat  and 
•offers  the  promife  for  acceptance,  and  pleads 
it  in  a  way  of  obedient  faith  and  prayer.  Je- 
fus the  high-treaiurer  of  heaven,  knows  every 
letter  of  his  Father's  hand-writing,  and  can 
never  be  impofed  upon  by  a  forged  note  ;  he 
will  ever  put  due  honour  upon  his  Father's 
bills ;  he  accepts  them  all,  for  K  ail  the  prorn- 
f*  ifes  in  him  are  yea,  and  in  him  amen."  In 
him  they  are  all  fure  "  to  the  glory  of  the 
Father,  2   Cor.  i.  20.     It  is  for  the  Father's 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         2fJ 

honour  that  his  bills  never  fail  of  acceptance 
and  payment. 

If  you  apply  to  the  bletTed  Jefus  and  offer 
him  a  bill  of  the  largeft  fum,  a  promife  of  the 
biggeft  blefTings,  he  will  never  fay,  "  I  have 
"  not  fo  mugh  of  my  Father's  treafure  in  my 
"  hand.     For  he   has  received  all  things." 

o 

John  iii.  35.  "  The  Father  loveth  the  Son 
*c  and  hath  given  all  things  into  his  hand  :" 
and  may  I  not  venture  to  fay,  this  whole 
treafure  is  made  oyer  to  the  faints,  ft  All 
tc  things  are  yours,"  1  Cor.  iii.  22.  And 
they  are  parcelled  out  into  bills  of  prornife... 
and  notes  under  the  Father's  hand.  So  the 
v.  hole  treafure  of  a  nation  conhlls  in  credit 
and  in  prcmirlbry  notes^  more  than  in  prefent 
fums  of  gold  and  filver. 

Some  of  the fe  divine  bills  are  payable  at 
fgh:,  and  we  receive  the  fum  as  loon  as  we 
oiler  the  bill  \  (viz,)  thole1  that  mu-lfhppiy 
in  our  prefent  wanrs  \  inch  as  "  call  upon 
"  me  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  Iwill'deYiv- 
,6;  er  thee,  and  thou  fhak  glorify  me/'  PjaL 
1.  15.  and  there  have  been  manv  examples 
of  fuch  fpeedy  payment.  PfuL  cviii.  3.  "In 
"  the  day  when!  cried  thou  anfw-rredeft  rne  ; 
"  and  ftrengthenedeft  me  with  drench  m 
"«  my  foul." 

Some  are  only  payable  in  general  at  a  dif- 
tant  time,  and  that  is  left  to  vke  difcrction  of 
Chrift  the  treasurer,  (viz.)  "  As  thy  day  is, 
T 


-21  3  THE   E-EAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTST 

*  fo  thy ftrength  (hall  be."  Deut.  xxxiii.  25. 
and  we  need  never  fear  trufting  him  long, 
for  this  bank  in  the  hands  of  Chrift  can  nev- 
*r  fail  ;  "  for  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulnefs 
"  of  the  Godhead  bodily.''  Col.  ii.  9.  and 
Eph.  iii.  8.  we  are  told  of  "  the  unfearcha- 
f*  ble  riches  of  Chad." 

Sometimes  Chrift  may  put  us  off  with  a 
general  Xind  anfwer,  or  give  ois  a  note  under 
his  hand,  payable  at  demand,  in  feveral  par- 
cels iuftead  of  a  full  payment  all  at  once  : 
thus  he  dealt  with  his  dear  friend  and  fervant 
Paul,  in  2  Cor.  xii.  -9.  Doubtlefs  Paul  in 
his  feeking  the  Lord  thrice,  for  the  removal 
of  his  thorn  in  the  flefh,  had  pleaded  feveral 
large  promifes  of  God,  had  offered  thofe  di- 
vine bills  to  Chrift  for  acceptance  and  pay- 
ment ;  but  inftead  of  this  our  Lord  gives 
Wm  a  note  under  his  own  hand  which  ran  in 
this  language,  "  My  grace  is  fufficient  for 
"  thee."  And  if  we  had  but  the  faith  which 
thatblefled  apoftle  had,  we  might  live  upon 
this  hope  ;  this  would  be  as  good  as  prefent 
payment  :  for  if  he  delay  to  give  the  full 
iym,  it  is  only  becaufe  he  fees  we  have  not 
need  of  it  at  prefent  :  he  knows  our  necefli- 
ties  better  than  we  ourlelves  ;  he  will  not 
truft  us  with  too  much  at  once  in  our  hands ; 
but  he  pays  us  thofe  bills  when  he  lees  the 
ntteft  time,  and  we  have   often   found  it  fof 

J  conieffed  his  faithfulnefs. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         2lO 

At  other  times  he  pays  us,  but  not  in  the 
fame  kind  of  mercy  which  is  mentioned  in 
the  promife,  yet  in  fomething  more  ufeful 
and  valuable.  If  the  promife  mentions  a 
temporal  blefTing,  he  may  give  us  a  ipiritual 
one  ;  if  it  exprefs  eafe,  he  may  give  patience  r 
and  thus  his  Father's  bills  are  always  honour- 
ed, and  we  have  no  reai'ori  to  complain.  So 
the  banker  may  dif  charge  a  bill  of  a  hundred 
pound  not  with  money,  but  with  fuch  goods 
and  merchandize  as  may  yield  us  two  hun- 
dred, and  we  gladly  confefs  the  bill  is  well 
paid. 

Some  of"  thefe  promvfes,  thefe  bills  of  heav- 
enly treafure,  are  not  made  payable  till  the 
hour  of  our  death,  as>  "  Blefied  are  thofe  f.r- 
Ci  vants  whom  when  the  Lord  comes  he  fliall 
"  find  watching,"  &c.  Luke  xii.  37.  "  Fie 
c<  that  endureth  to  the  end  the  fame  fliall  be 
"  faved."  Mutt.  xxiv.  13.  "  Be  thou  fai:h- 
"  ful  to  the  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown 
"of life."  Rev,  ii.  10. 

Others  are  not  due  till  the  day  of  the  ref- 
urreclion  ;  as,  *«  Them  who  fleep  in  Jefus 
"  will  God  bring  with  him.''  1  Theft,  iv.  14. 
?  I  will  redeem  them  from  death."  Hof.  xiii. 
14.  Col.  iii.  4,  «  When  Chrift  who  is  our 
"  life  fliall.  appear,  then  fliall  ye  alfo  appear 
"  with  him  in  glory."  Phil,  iii.  20,  21. 
H  He  fliall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may 
"  be  fafhioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body."' 
1  PeJ.  v.  1,4.  "  And  when  the  chief  Shcp- 


220  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

"  herd  (hall  appear,  ye  fhall  receive  a  crown 
'«  of  g'Oiy -thatfadcth  not  away.'* 

Now  when  the  great  day  fhall  corne,  in 
which  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  fhall  give  up 
his  mediatorial  kingdom  to  the  Father,  and 
render  an  account  of  all  his  ftewardlhip,  how 
fair  will  his  books  appear  !  How  juft  a  bal- 
ance will  ftand  at  the  foot  of  all  his  accounts  ! 
Then  {hall  he  fhew  in  what  manner  he  has 
fulfilled  the  promifes  to  the  faints,  and  pre- 
fent  to  the  Father  all  the  bills  that  he  has  re- 
ceived and  difcharged  ;  while  all  the  faints 
fhall  with  one  voice  atteft  it,  to  the  honour 
of  the  high  treafurer  of  heaven,  that  he  has 
not  failed  in  payment  even  to  the  fmalleft 
farthing. 

POSTHUMOUS    WORKS,   B,    Z^l.. 


THE  BEAITTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  221 


p  o  e  t  r  y: 


D'lVINE     JUDGM  EN  T  & 

.    i:- 

NBT  from  the  duft  my  forrows  fpring, 

Nor  drop  my  comforts  from  the  lower  flues  5 

Let  all  the  baneful  planets  flied 

Their  mingled  curies  on  my  head. 
How  vain  their  curfes,  if  th?  Eternal  King 
Look  thro'  the  cloud3  and  blefs  me  with  his  eyes. 

Creatures  with  all  their  boafled  fway 

Are  but  his  flaves,  and  mttft  obey-  5  • 

They  wait  their  orders  from  above, 
And  execute  hiswordi  the  vengeance,  or  the  love*  - 
II. 

'Tis  by  a  warrant  from  his  hand 

The  gentler  gales  are  bound  to  fleep  : 
The  North  wind  blufters,  and  aflumes  command  ■ 

Over  the  defert  and  the  deep  ; 

Old  Boreas  with  his  freezing  pow'rs 
Turns  the  earth  iron,  makes  the  ocean  glafs*  = 
Arrefts  the  dancing  riv'lets  as  they  pafs, 

And  chains  them  moveleft  to  their  fhores  i    "■ 
The  grazing  ox  lows  to  the  gelid  fkies, 
Walks  o'er  the  marble  meads  with  withering  eyes, 
Walks  o'er  the  folid  lakes,  fnuffs  up  the  wind,  and  ik% 


222  THE   BEAUTIES  OF   PR.  WATTS, 

IN. 
Fly  to  the  po'ar  world,  my  fong, 
And  mourn  the  pilgrims  there,  (a  wretched  throng  [ 

Seized  and  bound  in  rigid  chains, 
A  troop  of  fhtues  on  the  Rufiian  plains, 
And  life  ftands  frozen  in  the  pi.rple  veins. 
Atheift,  forbear  ;    no  more  blafpheme  J 
Cod  has  a  thoufand  terrors  in  his  name, 
A  thoufand  armies  at  command, 
Waiting  the  fignal  of  his  hand, 
And  magazines  of  froft,  and  magazines  of  flame. 
Drefs  thee  i/i  fteel  to  meet  his  wrath  j 
His  {harp  art'llerv  from  the  .North 
Shall  pierce  ther  to  'he  foci,  and  ttake  thy  mortal  .frame. 
Sublime  on  Winter's  rugged  wings 
T>  rides  in  arms  along  the  flcy, 
And  fcatrers  fate  on  fwainsand  kings  ; 

And  rtoeks  and  herd",  and  nations  die  J 
""'hile  impious  lips,   nrofanelv  bold, 
Crow  pale  ;  and,  quivering  at  his  dreadful  cold, 
Give  their  own  blafpherries  the  lie. 

IV. 

The  mifchiefs  that  ipfeft  the  earth, 
When  the  hot.  dog-ftar  fires  the  realms  on  high* 

Drought  and  difaf  •,  and  criel  dearth. 
Are  but  the  fla.fhes  of  a  wrathful  eye 
From  the  incens'd  divinity. 
In  vain  our  parching  palates  thirft, 
For  vital  food  in  vain  we  cry, . 

And  pant  for  vital  breath  5 
The  verdant  fields  are  burnt  to  dud, 
The  fun  has  drunk  the  channels  dry, 
And  all  the  air  is  death. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATT3.         22* 

Ye  fcourge^  of  our  Maker's  rod, 
'Tis  at  his  dread  command,  at  his  iirperial  nod 
You  deal  your  various  pla  -ues  abroad, 

V. 

Hail,  whirlwinds,  hurricanes  and  floods 

Thar  all  the  leafy  standards  ftrip, 

And  bear  down  with  a  nighty  fweep 
Thorich  3s  of  the  fields,  and  honours  of  the  woods ■  j_- 

Storms,  that  ravage  o'er  the  deep, 
And  bury  millions  in  the  waves  ; 

Earthquakes,  that  in  midright  flesp 
Turn  cities  inti  heaps,  and  make  our  Weds  our  graves  J. 

Wh'le  you  difpenfe  vour  mortal  harms, 
Tis  the  Creator's  voice  that  founds  your  loud  alarms> 
When  guilt  with  louder  cries  provokes  a  God  to  arms* 

VI, 

0  for  a  mefiage  from  above  • 
To  bear  my  fpirits  up  ! 

Some  pledge  of  my  Creator's  love 
To  calm  my  terrors  and  fupport  my  hope! 

Let  waves  and  thunders  mix  and  roar, 
Be  thou  my  God,  and  the  whole  world  is  mine  % 
While  thou  art  Sovereign,  I'm  fecure  5 

1  ffiall  be  rich  till  thou  ar~  poor  j 

For*  all  J  fear,  and  all  I  wiih,  heav'iij  earth  and  hell  are  thine*- 


024         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


THE    UNIVERSAL    HALLELUJAH. 

PSALM    CXLVIII    PARAPHRAS'd. 
I. 

PRAISE  ye  the  Lord  with  joyful  tongue^  , 

Ye  pow'rs  that  guard  his  throne  J 
Jefus  the  man  mall  lead  the  fong, 

The  God  infpire  the  tune. 
II. 
Gabriel,  and  all  the  immortal  choir 

That  fill  the  realms  above, 
Sing  ;  for  he  form'd  you  of  his  fire, 

And  feeds  you  with  his  love. 
III. 
Shine  to  his  praife,  ye  chryftal  fkies,  ■ 

The  floor  of  his  abode, 
Oi  veil  your  little  twinkling  eyes, 

Before  a  brighter  God. 

IV. 

Thou  reftlefs  globe  of  golden  light,   . 

Whofe  beams  create  our  days, 
Join  with  the  filver  queen  of  night3   . 

To  own  your  borrowed  rays. 

V. 

Blufh  and  refund  the  honours  paid 

To  your  inferior  names  : 
Tell  the  blind  world  vour  orbs  are  fa3   - 

By  his  o'erflowing'' flames— 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         2^5 
VI. 

Winds,  ye  mall  bear  his  name  aloud 

Thro'  the  ethereal  blue, 
For  when  his  chariot  is  a  cloud, 

He  makes  his  wheels  of  you. 

VII. 

Thunder  and  hail,  and  fires  and  ftorms, 

The   troops  of  his  command, 
Appear  in  all  your  dreadful  forms 

And  fpeak  his  awful  hand.     • 

Shout  to  the  Lord,  ye  furging  feas, 

In  your  eternal  roar  j 
Let  wave  to  wave  refound  his  praife, 

And  fhore  reply  to  more. 

IX. 

While  mongers  fporting  on  the  flood, 

In  fcaly  filver  mine, 
Speak  terribly  their  maker  God, 

And  la(h  the  foaming  brine. . 

x. 

But  gentler  things  mall  tune  his  name, 

To  fofter  notes  than  thefe, 
Young  zephyrs  breathing  o'er  the  ftrearn, 

Or  whifpering  thro'  the  trees. 

XI. 

Wave  your  tall  heads,  ye  lofty  pines, 

To  him  that  bid  ye  grow, 
Sweet  clufters  bend  the  fruitful  vines, 

On  every  thankful  bough. 

XII. 

Let  the  fhrill  birds  his  honour  raife, 
And  climb  the  morning  iky, 


226         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTSv 

While  groveling  beads  attempt  his  praife 
In  hoarfer  harmony. 

xui. 

Thus  while  the  meaner  creatures  fing,- 

Ye  mortals  take  the  found, 
Echo  the  glories  of  your  king 

Thro*  all  the  nations  round. 

XIV. 

Th'  Eternal  name  muft  fly  abroad 

From  Britain  to  Japan  j 
And  the  whole  race  fhall  bow  to  God,, 

That  owns  the  name  of  man. 


THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 

AN        ODE. 

ATTEMPTED    IN    ENGLISH    SAPPHIC. 
I. 

WHEN  the  fierce  North  wind  with  his  airy  forces 
Rears  up  the  Baltic  to  a  foaming  fury  j 
And  the  red  light'ning,  with  a  florm  of  hail  comes 

Rufhing  amain  down,. 

II. 

How  the  poor  failors  ftand  amaz'd  and  tremble  ! ' 
While  the  hoarfe  thunder,  like  a  bloody  trumpet, 
Roars  a  loud  onfet  to.  the  gaping  waters 

Quick  to  devour  them. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         227 

III. 

Such  {hall  the  nolfe  be,  and  the  wild  diforder, 
(If  things  eternal  may  be  like  thefe  earthly) 
Such  the  dire  terror  when  the  great  archangel 

Shakes  the  Creation  ; 
IV. 

Tears  the  ftrong  pillars  of  the  vault  of  heaven, 
Breaks  up  old  marble,  the  repofe  of  princes  ; 
"See  the  graves  open  and  the  bones  arifing, 

Flarrres  all  around  'em. 

V. 

Hark,  the  flirill  outcries  of  the  guilty  wretches ! 

Lively  bright  horror,  and  amazing  anguifhf 

.Stare  thro'  their  eye-lids,  while  the  living  worm  lies 

Gnawing  within  them. 

VL 

Thought,  like  old  vultures,  prey  upon  their  heart-ftrings, 
And  the  fmart  twinges,  when  the  eye  beholds  the 
Lofty  Judge  frowning,  and  a  flood- of  vengeance 

Rolling  before  him. 

VII. 

Hopelefs  immortals  !   how  they  fcream  .and  fliiver, 
While  devils  pufh  them  to  the  pit  wide-yawning 
Hideous  and  gloomy  to  receive  them  headlong 

Down  to  the  center. 

VilL 

Stop  here,  my  fancy  :   (all  away,  ye  horrid 

Doleful  ideas,)  come  arife.to  Jefus 

How  he  fits  God-like  J  and  the  faints  around  him 

Thron'd,  yet  adoring ! 


22$         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS* 

IX. 

O  may  I  fit  there  when  he  comes  triumphant, 
Dooming  the  nations  !  then  afcend  to  glory, 
While  our  hofannas  all  along  the  paiTage 

Shout  the  Redeemer. 


0FIRE,  AIR,  EARTH   AND   SEA,  PRAISE  YE 
THE  LORD. 

I. 

EARTH,  thou  great  footfbol  of  our  God  , 

Who  reigns  on  high  ;  thou  fruitful  fource 
Of  all  our  raiment  life  and  food  } 
Our  hoafe,  our  parent,  and  our  nurfe  j 
Mighty  ftage  of  mortal  fcenes, 
Dreft  with  ftrong  and  gay  machines, 
Hung  with  goldsn  lamps  around  5 
(And  flow'ry  carpets  fpread  the  ground) 
Thou  bulky  globe,  prodigious  mafs, 
That  hangs  unpillarM  in  an  empty  fpace  ! 
While  thy  unweilisd  weight  refts  on  the  feeble  air, 
•JBlefc  that  Almighty  word  that  fix'd  and  holds  thee  there. 
II. 
Fire,  thou  fwift  herald  of  bis  face, 
Whofe  glorious  rage,  at  his  command, 
Levels  a  palace  with  the  fand, 
Blending  the  lofty  fpircs  in  ruin  with  the  bafe  ) 
Ye  heav'nly  fhmts,  that  finge  the  air, 
Artillery  of  a  jealous  God, 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.         2,2$ 

bright  arrows  that  founding  quivers  bear 

To  fcattet  deaths  abroad  j 
Light'nings,  adore  the  fovereign  arm  that  flings 
His  vengeance,  and  your  fires,  upon  the  head  of  Kings, 

m. 

Thou  vital  element,  the  air, 

Whofe  boundlefs  magazines  of  breath 

Our  fainting  flame  of  life  repair, 
Andfave  the  bubble  man  from  the  cold  arms  of  deata  : 
And  ye,  whofe  vital  rnoifture  yields 

Life's  purple  ftream  a  fre(h  fupply  ; 
Sweet  waters  wand'ring  thro''  the  flow'ry  fields, 

Or  dropping  from  the  flcy  ; 
Confefsthe  pow'r  whofe  all-fufficient  name 
Itfortteeds  your  aid  to  build,  or  to  fupport  our  frame* 

IV. 

?wow  the  rude  air,  with  noify  force, 

Beats  up  and  fwells  the  angry  fea, 

They  join  to  make  our  lives  a  prey. 

And  fweep  the  failor's  hopes  away. 
"Vain  hopes,  to  reach  their  kindred  on  the  fliores  1 

Lo,  the  wild  feas  and  furging  waves 

Gape  hideous  in  a  thoufand  graves  : 
Be  ftill,  ye  floods,  and  know  your  bounds  ©f  fond, 

Ye  ftorms,  adore  your  Matter's  hand  j 
The  winds  are  in  his  fift,  the  waves  at  his  command, 

V. 

From  the  eternal  emptinefs 

His  fruitful  word  by  fecret  fpringa 

Drew  the  whole  harmony  of  things 

That  form  this  noble  univerfe  : 

Old  nothing  knew  his  powerful  hand, 

'Scarce  had  he  fpoke  his  full  commandj 

u 


2JO        THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS, 

Eire,  air,  and  earth,  and  fea,  heard  the  creating  call, 
And  leap'd  from  empty  nothing  to  this  beauteous  all  j 
And  ftill  they  dance,  and  llill  obey 
The  orders  they  receiv'd  the  great  creation-day. 


LAUNCHING     INTO     ETERNITY. 

JT  was  a  brave  attempt !  adventurous  he, 
Who  in  the  firfl;  fhip  broke  the  unknown  fea  : 
And  leaving  his  dear  native  fhores  behind, 
Trufted  his  life  to  the  licentious  wind. 
I  fee  the  furging  brine  :  the  tempeft  raves : 
He  on  a  pine-plank  rides  acrofs  the  waves, 
Exulting  on  the  edge  of  thoufand  gaping  graves.; 
He  fteers  the  winged  boat,  and  lhifts  the  (ails, 
Conquers  the  flood,  and  manages  the  gales. 

Such  is  the  foul  that  leaves  this  mortal  land 
Fearlefs  when  the  great  Matter  gives  command. 
Peath  is  the  ftorm  :  me  fmiles  to  hear  it  roar, 
And  bids  the  tempeft  waft  her  from  the  more  .s 
Then  with  a  fkilful  helm  me  fweeps  the  feas., 
And  manages  tfie  raging  ftorm  with  eafe  } 
{"  Her  faith  can  govern  death")  (he  fpreads  her  wings 
Wide  to  the  wind,  and  as  fhe  fails  me  fings, 
And  lofes  by  degrees  the  fight  of.  mortal  things. 
As  the  fhores  lefTen,  fo  her  joys  arife, 
The  waves  roll  gentler,  and  the  tempeft  dies, 
Now  vaft  eternity  fills  all  her  fight, 
She  floats  on  the  broad  deep  with  infinite  delight, 
The  fcas  forever  calm,  the  ikies  for  ever  bright. 


1 


1 
} 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 


BREATHING  TOWARD  THE  HEAVENLY  COUNTRY 

CASIMIRE,  BOOK  I.    OB.    I9.    IMITATED. 

Uric  me  Patrla  Decor,  ©V. 

THE  beauty  of  my  native  land 

Immortal  love  infpires  ; 

I  burn,  I  burn  with  ftrong  defires, 

And  figh,  and  wait  the  high  command. 

There  glides  the  moon  her  mining  way 
And  (hoots  my  heart  thro'  with  a  filver  ray. 
Upward  my  heart  afpires  : 

A  thoufand  lamps  of  golden  light 
Hung  high  in  vaulted  azure  charm  my  fight, 
And  wink  and  beckon  with  their  amorous  fires/ 
O  ye  fair  glories  of  my  hcav'nly  home, 

Bright  centinels  who  guard  my  Father's  court,' 

Where  all  the  happy  minds  rcfort, 

When  will  my  Father's  chariot  come  ? 
Muit,  ye  for  ever  walk  the  ethereal  round, 

For  ever  fee  the  mourner  lie 

.-    An  exile  of  the  fky, 

A  prifoner  of  the  ground  ? 
Defcend  fome  mining  fervant  from  on  higtv 
Build  me  a  hafty  tomb  j 

A  grafiy  turf  will  raife  my  head  j 

The  neighbouring  lillies  drefs  my  bed,, 
And  fhed  a  fweet  perfume. 

.Here  I  put  oft"  the  chains  of  death 
My.feul  too  long  has  worn  : 


2J2         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

Friends,  I  forbid  one  groaning  breath, 

Or  tear  to  wet  my  urn  ; 
Raphael,  behold  me  all  undreft, 
Here  gently  lay  this  flefh  to  reft  : 
Then  mount  and  lead  the  path  unknown, 
Swift  I  purfue  thee,  flaming  guide,  on  pinions  of  my  own. 


CONVERSE    WITH  CHRIST. 
I. 

I'M  tir'd  with  vifits,  modes,  and  forms, 
And  fhttYies  made  to  fellow-worms  j, 
Their  convcrfation  cloys  : 
Their  vain  amours  and  empty  fluff : 
But  lean  ne'er  enjoy  enough 
Of  thy  beft  company,  my  Lord,  thou  life  of  all  my  joys- 
II. 
When  he  begins  to  tell  his  love,. 
Thro'  cv%ry  vein  my  paflions  move, 

The  captives  of  his  tongue  : 
In  midnight  fhades,  on  frofty  ground, 
I  could  attend  the  plcafing  found, 
Nor  fhould  I  feel  December  cold,  nor  thjnk  the  darknefs  lonf  - 
III. 
There  while  I  hear  my  Saviour- God 
Count  o'er  the  fins  (a  heavy  load  !) 

He  bore  upon  the  tree, 
Inward  I  blufli  with  fecret  fhame, 
And  weep,  and  love,  and  blefs  the  name 
Thai  knew  nor  guilt  nor  grief  his  own,  but  bare  it  aM  for  me.. 


HE  2EAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.  233 

IV. 

Next  he  defcribes  the  thorns  he  woffi- 
And  talks  his  bloody  patfion  o'er, 

'Till  I  am  drown' d  in  tears  : 
Yet  with  the  fympathetic  fmart 
There's  a  Grange  joy  beats  round  my  hear;  ■ 
The  curfcd  tree  has  bIeiMng3  in't,  my  fweetefi  balm  it  bcar^ 

V. 

I  hear  the  glorious  fufferer  tell 
How  on  his  crofs  he  vanquhh'd  hell| 

And  all  the  powers  beneath  : 
Tranfported  and  bfpir'd,  my  tongue 
Attempts  his  triumphs  in  a  fong  ;  [de2th  ?" 

96  How  has  the  ferpent  left  his  fting,  and  where's  thy  -vrftoryi 

vr. 

But  when  he  {hews  his  hands  and  heart, 
With  thofe  dear  prints  of  dying  fmar?, 

He  frs  my  foul  on  fire  *. 
Not  the  beloved  John  could  reft 
With  more  delight  upon  that  brearr, 
Kcr  Thomas  pry  into  thofe  wounds  with  more  interne  defire. 

VII. 

Kindly  he  oi>e'ns  me  his  ear, 
And  bids  me  pour  my  forrows  there, 

And  tell  him  all  my  pains  : 
Thus  while  I  eafe  my  burden' d  heart, ' 
In  every  woe  he  bears  a  part, 
His  arms  embrace  me,  and  his  hand  my  drooping  head  fuftalns, 

VJII. 

Fly  from  my  thoughts,  all  human  things, 
And  fporting  fwains,  and  fighting  kings. 
And  tales  of  wanton  love  : 

u  2 


2.34         THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS. 

My  foul  difdainsthat  little  dure 

The  tangles  of  Amira's  hair  i  [move. 

Thine  arms,  my  God,  are  fwceter  bands,  nor  can  my  heart  re- 


FALSE    GREATNESS. 
I. 

MYLO,  forbear  to  call  him  bleft. 
That  only  boafts  a  large  eftate, 
Should  all  the  treafures  of  the  Weft 
Meet,  and  confpire  to  make  him  great. 
I  know  thy  better  thoughts,  I  know 
Thy  reafon  can't  defcend  fo  low. 
Let  a  broad  ftream  with  golden  fands 

Thro'  all  his  meadows  roll, 
He's  but  a  wretch,  with  all  his  lands* 
That  wears  a  narrow  foul. 
II. 
He  f wells  amidft  his  wealthy  ftore, 
And  proudly  poizing  what  he  weighs 
In  his  own  fcale  he  fondly  lavs 

Hugh  heaps  of  fhining  ore. 
He  fpreads  the  balance  wide  to  hold" 

His  manors  and  his  farms, 
And  cheats  the  beam  wit'.i  loads  of  gold 

He  hugs  between  his  arms. 
So  might  the  plough-boy  climb  a  trce> 

When  Croefus  mounts  his  throne, 
And  both  (Vand  up,  and  fmile  to  (a 

How  loag  their  (hadow's  grown* 
Alas  !  how  vain  their  fancies  be 

To  think  their  (h»?q  their  own  f 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS*         235 

III. 

Thus  mingled  ftill  with  wealth  and  ftate, 
Crcefus  himfelf  can  never  know  j 
His  true  dimensions  and  his  weight 
Are  far  inferior  to  their  fhow. 
Were  I  fo  tall  to  reach  the  pole, 
Or  grafp  the  ocean  with  my  fpan, 
I  muft  be  meafur'd  by  my  foul  : 
The  mini's  the  ftandard  of  the  man. 


TRUE    MONARCHY. 

170$, 

THE  riling  year  beheld  th'  imperious  Gaul 
Stretch  his  dominion,  while  a  hundred  towns 
Crouch'd  to  the  viclor  :  but  a  fteady.foul 
Stands  firm  on  its  own  bafe,  and  reigns  as  wide, 
As  abfolute ;  and  fways  ten  thoufand  Caves, 
Lufts  and  wild  fancies  with  a  fovereign  hand. 

We  are  a  little  kingdom  ,-  but  the  man 
That  chains  his  rebel- will  to  reafon's  throne^ 
Forms  it  a  large  one,,  whilft  his  royal  mind 
Makes  heaven  its  council,  from  the  rolls  above 
Draws  his  own  ilatutes,  and  with  joy  obeys. . 

*Tis  not  a  troop  of  well-appointed  guards 
Greate  a  monarch,  not  a  purple  robe 
Dy'd  in  the  peoples  blood,  not  all  the  crowas 
Or  dazling  tiars  that  bend  about  the  head, 
'Tho*  gilt  with  fun-beams  and  fct  ro\t#i  with  liar:. 


236  THE  BEAUTIES  OF   DR.  WATTS, 

A  monarch  he  that  conquers  all  hlr  fears, 
And  treads  upon  them  ;  when  he  ftands  alo.ie, 
Makes  his  own  camp,  four  guardian  virtues  wait 
His  nightly  /lumbers,  and  fecure  his  dreams. 
Now  dawns  the  light ;  he  ranges  all  his  thoughts 
In  fquare  battalions,  bold  to  meet  th'  attacks 
Of  time  and  chance,  himfelfa  num'rous  hoft, 
All  eye,  all  ear,  all  wakeful  as  the  day, 
Firm  as  a  rock,  and  movelefs  as  the  centen 

In  vain  the  harlot  pleafure,  fpreads  her  charms,  - 
To  1  ill  his  thoughts  in  luxury's  fair  lap, 
To  fenfaal  eafe,  (the  bane  of  little  kings, 
Monarchs  whofe  waxen  images  of  fouls 
Are  moulded  into  foftnefs)  ftjil  his  mind 
Wears  its  own  Si*??,  nor  can  the«heave:ily  forqj 
Stoop  to  be  modePd  by  the  wild  decrees 
Of  the  mad  vulgar,  that  unthinking  herd. 

He  lives  above  the  croud,  nor  hears  the  noiie 
Of  wars  and  triumphs,  nor  regards  the  fhouts 
Of  popular  applaufe  that  empty  found  ; 
Nor  feels  the  tying  arrows  of  reproach, 
Or  fpite  or  envy.      In  himfelf  fecure, 
Wifdom  his  tower,  and  conscience  is  his  (hieht, 
His  peace  al!  inward,  and  his  joys  his  own. 

Now  my  ambition  fwells,  my  wiflies  foar, 
This  be  my  kingdom  :  fit  above  the  globe 
My  rifing  foul,  and  drefs  thyfelf  around 
And  thine  in  virtue's  armour,  climb  the  height ' 
Of  wlfJom's  lofty  caftle,  there  refide 
Safe  from  the  fmiling  and  the  frowning  world. 

Yet  once  a  day  drop  down  a  gentle  look 
On  the  gTeat  mole-hill,  and  with  pitying  eye  : 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.        2?^ 


Z'/ 


Survey  the  bufy  emmets  round  the  heap, 
Crouding  and  buttling  in  a  thoufand  forms 
Of  ftrife  and  toil  to  purchafe  wealth  and  fame, 
A  bubble  or  a  duft  :  then  call  thy  thoughts 
Up  to  thyfelf  to  feed  on  joys  unknown, 
Rich  without  gold,  and  great  without  renown. 


FEW  HAPPY  MATCHES. 

Augujl)  1 70 1, 

I. 

SAY,  mighty  love,  and  teach  my  fong, 
To  whom  thy  fweeteft  joys  belong, 

And  who  the  happy  pairs 
Whofe  yielding  hearts,  and  joining  hands, 
Find  bleflings  twifted  with  their  bands, 
To  foften  all  their  cares. 
II. 
Not  the  wild  herd  of  nymphs  and  fwains 
That  thoughtlefs  fly  into  the  chains, 

As  cuftom  leads  the  way  : 
If  there  be  blifs  without  defign, 
Ivies  and  oaks  may  grow  and  twine> 
And  be  as  bleft  as  they. 

III. 

Not  fordid  fouls  of  earthly  mold 
Who  drawn  by  kindred  charms  of  gold 
To  dull  embraces  move  ; 


THE  BEAUTTES  OF  DR.  WATT3. 

So  two  rich  mountains  of  Peru 
May  rufh  to  wealthy  marriage  too, 
And  make  a  world  of  love. 

IV. 

Not  the  mad  tribe  that  hell  infpires 
With  wanton  flames  ;  thofe  raging  fires 

The  purer  Mifs  deftroy  : 
On  ^Etna's  top  let  furies  wed, 
And  meets  of  light'ning  drefr  the  bed 

T'  improve  the  burning  joy. 

V. 

Not  the  dull  pairs  whofe  marble  forms 
None  of  the  melting  paflions  warms, 

Can  mingle  hearts  and  hands  : 
Logs  of  green  wood  that  quench  the  coals 
And  marry'd  juft  like  Stoic  fouls, 

With  ofiers  for  their  bands. 

VI. 

Net  minds  of  melancholy  ftrain, 
Still  filent,  or  that  ftill  complain, 

Can  the  dear  bondage  blefs  : 
As  well  may  heavenly  concerts  fpring 
From  too  old  loots  with  ne'er  a  firing, 

Or  none  befide  the  bafs. 

VII. 

Nor  can  the  foft  enchantments  hold 
Two  jarring  fouls  of  angry  mold, 

The  rugged  and  the  keen  : 
Sarop&n's  young  foxes  might  as  well 
In  bands  of  cheerful  wedlock  dwell, 

With  firebrands  ty'd  between. 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  DR.  WATTS.        235 

VIII. 

Nor  let  the  cruel  fetters  bind 
A  gentle  to  a  favage  mindj 

For  love  abhors  the  fight : 
Loofe  the  fierce  tyger  from  the  deer, 
For  native  rage  and  native  fear 

Rife  and  forbid  delight. 

IX. 

Two  kind  eft  fouls  alone  muft  meet, 

'Tis  friendfhip  makes  the  bondage  fwect, 

And  feeds  their  mutual  loves  : 
Bright  Venus  on  her  rolling  throne 
Is  drawn  by  gentleft  birds  alone 

And  Cupids  yoke  the  doves.* 


*  Tbefe  poems  are  jele&ed  from  Horae  Lyrica  i  or  Poems  chiefs 
ibt  Lyric  kind. 


THE        EN©, 


